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A COMMENTARY ON

THE BOOK OF AMOS

By

FATHER TADROS Y. MALATY

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AN INTRODUCTION

Amos:(1) ‘Amos’ is a Hebrew word, meaning (A bearer of burden), or (a burden); As

according to the Jewish tradition, the prophet Amos was slow of speech and slow oftongue. And his name, as well, conforms with the goal of his book, which is to reveal theheavy burden of sin, un-endurable and unacceptable to God, whoever the sinner may be;He who will punish both the Jews and the Gentiles for their sins.

(2) Amos is considered the first of the ‘Writing prophets’; He wrote hisprophecies in a poetic, sweet, and simple way; albeit being less eloquent than that of‘Joel’. His book came loaded with homologies; And having lived in an agriculturalatmosphere, very close to the wilderness; it was also loaded with portraits drawn from thelife of the dwellers of villages, on one side, and of the wilderness on the other.

(3) From his talk (1: 1; 7: 10), it is evident that he was a contemporary of thereigns of Uzziah king of Judah, and of Jeroboam the second son of Joash, king of Israel;before the famed earthquake (1: 1; 5: 9), to which the prophet Zechariah referred 300years later (Zechariah 14: 5). Most probably he prophesied around the year 760 B.C.; acontemporary of the prophets Hosea (in the last years of his life); of the early ministry ofthe prophet Isaiah; And in his days, as well, the prophet Jonah the son of Amittaiprophesied in Israel (2 Kings 14: 25) 1.

(4) He lived in Tekoa, about 12 miles south of Jerusalem, a member of a poorunknown family, who humbly described himself: “I am no prophet, nor was I a son of aprophet, but I am a herdsman, and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the Lord took me as Ifollowed the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel’” (Amos7: 14, 15).

(5) Although he was raised in Tekoa – in the kingdom of Judah – yet he went toBethel, where the main temple of the north kingdom of Israel has been. His prophesiesabout the devastation of that kingdom because of its sins stirred up Amaziah, the chiefpriest of Bethel, who reported him to Jeroboam the second, king of Israel, as a traitor; andordered him to leave town. He probably wrote his book after going back to his hometown Tekoa2.

The circumstances around him:(1) On the political side, the prophet Amos has been a contemporary of Jeroboam

the second, the grandson of Jahu the great leader who killed the evil queen Jezabel andher descendants. Jeroboam was famed for his power and might, that caused his kingdom

1 J. H. Raven: O.T. Introduction N.Y., 1910, P. 219.2 Ibid., 218.

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to extend and flourish. At the same time ‘Uzziah’ king of Judah, famed, as well for hispower and success, his kingdom was also well established.

As another support on the political side; The kingdom of Aram (Syria), at thattime, was preoccupied with, and exhausted by war against Assyria; Israel got back muchof her land that Aram has previously taken by force. And Assyria, during the days ofAmos, peacefully coexisted with Egypt, and no longer carried out attacks against it, goingthrough Israel, killing and plundering its people.

(2) That political stability and prosperity of the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah,led to the flourishing of their foreign trade, that extended to Damascus; leading to a risein the economic level of the two kingdoms; and, at the same time, to the appearance oftwo categories of people: an extremely rich category of traders; and an extremely poorone of farmers, who moaned under the great cruelty and oppression of the rich category.

As Amos was raised among those poor people, practicing a life of deprivation andintense poverty; and, at the same time, watching from afar, the intense riches lived by theother category; his prophesies came like a social revolution against injustice, oppression,and corruption; It was difficult and painful for him to see the rich lying on ivory beds,while his poor brethren were sold for a pair of sandals!

That great social and wealth gap, led, as well, to bitter corruption, as is clear inAmos’ prophesies, that revealed horrible portraits of adultery, deception, bribes, and lies,etc.

(3) That enormous wealth of the rich, made them practice the worship of God, asmere offerings of money and sacrifices to the temple; As though God could be bought bytheir money, or bribed by their offerings… Something that created a break between therite and the spirit; The life of worship became too far from the practical spiritualbehavior; And the sacrifices lost their theological and spiritual concept.

(4) That political stability, together with the enormous wealth, also led to a sort offanatic nationalism without a spirit; that made them assume that Jehovah is a God, specialfor them, who shows partiality for them at the expense of the Gentiles; whatever their evilis. That is why this prophet came to confirm that God is the “God of all”, who do notendure sin, whoever the one who commits it, whether a Jew or a Gentile; and presentingsalvation, “all the Gentiles are called by His name” (Amos 9: 12).

Attributes of the prophet Amos:This book reveals the following aspects of the attributes of this prophet:(1) His humility: Responding to a question by Amaziah the chief priest of Bethel

about his true identity, he said: “I was no prophet, nor a son of a prophet, but I was aherdsman and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock”(Amos 7: 14, 15); not ashamed to reveal his lowly and humble profession.

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(2) His courage: Before Amaziah, with such high authority and power, because ofhis connection to the king, Amos remained faithful to his mission; He never faltered norfeared him, but testified to the truth, prophesied about the devastation of his house, andspoke the word of God, faithfully, and without any compliment or flattery.

(3) His wisdom: He spoke, not only to the rulers and the elite, but to allcategories of the people, for the sake of the penitence of all.

(4) His job as a herdsman and a tender of sycamore fruit, gave him the chanceof a life of contemplation; that led him to portray the atmosphere in which he lived, witha flaring spirit and a serious and faithful heart.

Themes of the book of Amos:Beside proclaiming the judgment of God on Israel because of their corruption, this

book also reveals God’s justice in His condemnation of all the Gentiles that follow lead.Yet, at the same time it presents reproach and threat, it opens the doors of hope before all.

1- Judgment of the Gentiles 1 – 22- Sermons to Israel 3 – 63- Visions and the promises of salvation 7 – 9

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THE FIRST SECTION

JUDGMENT OF THE GENTILES, ANDOF ISRAEL

(Chapters 1 and 2)

1- Judgment of the neighboring Gentile nations Chapter 12- Judgment of Judah and Israel Chapter 2

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This book, being as a whole, addressed to Israel because of mixing the worship ofthe true God with idol worship; beside the level of iniquities and oppression they havereached; That is why, it proclaimed to Israel, by talking about the sins of the neighboringGentile nations, and those of the kingdom of Judah, that the Holy God does not enduresin, whatever would be its source.

The following is a list of names of those Gentile nations, and the foremost sin ofeach:

1- Syria (Aram) :Pride (the human ego)2- Palestine :Slavery trade (love of the world)3- Phoenicia (Tyre) :Breaking the covenant of brotherhood (1 Kings 5:

1-12)4- Edom :Hatred and love of bloodshed5- The Emmonites :Cruelty, because of greed6- The Moabites Ferocity (Robbing the bones of the king of Edom)7- Judah Disregard of the divine commandment8- Israel :Falling into idolatry and its iniquities

Diversion from the true spirit of the rite of worshipOppression and tyrannyDenial of God who cares for them.

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CHAPTER 1

JUDGMENT OF THE NEIGHBORING GENTILENATIONS

In preparation for talking about the judgment on Israel, God proclaimed thejudgment of the neighboring Gentile nations; to confirm the extent of His detest for evil,and His non-partiality to one nation at the expense of another; or to a person at theexpense of another.

1- Introduction 1 – 22- Judgment on Damascus 3 – 53- Judgment on Gaza 6 – 84- Judgment on Tyre 9 – 105- Judgment on Edom 11 – 126- Judgment on the Ammonites 13 – 15

1- INTRODUCTION:“The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which he saw

concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam theson of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake”(Amos 1: 1)

The prophet Amos did not feel ashamed of proclaiming his profession as aherdsman in Tekoa, and a tender of sycamore fruit; which is only done by the lowly andthe needy. Not mentioning his father’s name is because he belonged to a poor unknownfamily.

By saying: “The words of Amos …. which he saw”, and not which he heard orsaid; He confirms that the words he is proclaiming, are not his own, but are the fruit ofdivine visions and proclamations through the Holy Spirit.

He told about the location of his hometown, and the date of his prophetic work;which we mentioned in the introduction.

“And he said: ‘The Lord roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem;The pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of the Carmel withers’” (Amos 1: 2)

That is how he began his prophecy; Dwelling in Tekoa, on the rim of thewilderness, has probably provided him with an experience of the roar of the lion thatbrings terror to the hearts of the herdsmen, and of the farmers. Amos likened the wrath ofGod over sin to a roaring lion, saying: “A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The LordGod has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3: 8). And said that the lion’s roar doesnot come from void, or emerge without cause: “Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hasno prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?” (Amos 3: 4)

The prophets Hosea and Joel spoke of God – blessed is His name – as a Lion thatthe earth and heavens will shake when He roars; and everyone will realize that He is theshelter and the stronghold of His people; That He dwells among them in the mountain ofHis sanctuary in Jerusalem, that no alien would ever pass through it again (Joel 3: 16,17); … And that when He roars, He shall gather His people from Egypt and Assyria, andlet them dwell in their own houses (Hosea 11: 11, 12).

Here, however, the prophet Amos sees the Holy God as Lion, lying in Zion,roaring with His voice, because of the sins of Israel, Judah, and all the neighboringGentile nations; and because He does not endure seeing the sin coming close to His

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sanctuary and surrounding it. When He roars, the foundations of sin will shake, and theworks of the old man will be destroyed; Fire will come out of His mouth, to burn up allits palaces, and to scatter its being.

When the Lion roars, the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of theCarmel, the most fertile land, withers; And all will realize that the voice of the Lord willdry up everything set upon evil, and will destroy all the fruits of corruption.

The word of God is not set upon complimenting, flattering, or faltering betweenthe good and the evil; But is set upon the destruction of evil to set the good in its place;Or is set upon the crucifixion of the old man, to proclaim the resurrection of the NewMan. The Lion, coming out from the tribe of Judah has proclaimed this, by saying: “Noone puts a piece of un-shrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from thegarment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins, orelse the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they putnew wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9: 16, 17). Andaccording to St. Ambrose: [The Lord commands us not to mingle the new with the old;And the apostle instructs us not to put on a new garment over an old one; but to take offthe old garment and put on the new one, that “ we shall not be found naked” (2Corinthians 5: 2-4) 1].

Jacob was aware of that when he blessed his son Judah, from whose seed the Lionwho will roar against the sin, and who will terrify death, is to come; saying: “You are alion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and liesdown, like a lioness – which dares rouse him up?” (Genesis 49: 9). He saw him,crouching like a lion on the cross, roaring on the sin that corrupted the human life, killingHis prey – the devil and his works – and granting sanctification to humanity, turning itinto the holy Zion and Jerusalem.

Actually, Amos’ prophecy, as a whole, is a roar of the Lion from Zion; It starts byterrifying chastisements: fire burning up palaces, destroying strongholds, and scatteringthe inhabitants, whether of the Jews or of the Gentiles; … Yet, not to remain ruins withno dwellers, but to open wide the doors of hope, by the end of the prophecy. In place ofthe palaces, “On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David which has fallen down,and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of olds”; Hewill dwell in its midst, and “All the Gentiles are called by His name” (Amos 9: 11, 12).He breaks down and builds up; He uproots and plants; He destroys the old man, to set thenew man in us instead! That is the roar of the Lion from Zion, His voice from the holyJerusalem!

2- JUDGMENT ON DAMASCUS:In the judgment on the Gentiles and on Judah, Amos followed the same pattern to

proclaim that the Author of the judgment is “God Himself”; Their three and fourtransgressions; Not turning away the punishment; And on sending a burning fire; … Yeteach nation, had her one or more specific transgression.

At the beginning of every judgment he says: “Thus says the Lord …“ (Amos 1: 3,6, 9, 11, 13; 2: 1, 4, 6). Even if not all nations worship Him, Yet He is God of the wholeearth, Judges all, condemns all, and also cares for all!

).ترجمة مدام عایدة حنا بسطا(الخ 5:27تفسیر لو :القدیس أمبروسیوس1

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As to His talk about their three and four transgressions; These two figures referhere to several concepts; of which are the following:

(1) The figure 3 refers to the human soul, being created according to the imageand likeness of the Trinity; Whereas the figure 4 refers to the body, being taken from theearth with its four directions (east, west, north, and south). It is as though God judges uson our mental sins (like pride and hate); and on our physical sins (like the love of luxury,gluttony, and carnal lusts). And according to St. Augustine: [Because sins could becommitted by the mind or will alone, or together with the works of the body, to be seen… Namely, three as the nature of the soul; and four because of the body; Man beingformed of both1].

(2) According to St. Jerome, the three and four transgressions, mean the sin,having evolved into its third and fourth generation; turning from being merely a thoughtin the mind, to be proclaimed through the speech, then translated into action, and finallyturns into a habit. God, as it is written: “is longsuffering, and abundant in mercy,forgiving iniquity and transgression, but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting theiniquity of the fathers on the children in the third and fourth generation” (Numbers 14:18). This means that God does not punish us on our thoughts on the spot, but on the evilworks, and the sinful habits coming from them; according to the words that came on themouth of Amos: “For the three transgression and the four of so and so city…” (Amos 1:3) 2.

Commenting again on those three and four transgressions, St. Jerome says theyare:

a- Thinking of evil (the first transgression)b- Doing the evil (the second transgression).c- Not repenting; namely, continuing to do it (the third transgression)d- Preaching it (the fourth transgression)He says: [It is as though the Lord says: You accepted evil, and I forgave you; You

did it, and I forgave you; You did not repent it, and I still forgave you; …. Are you goingto preach it as well?! That is what the book means concerning the three and fourtransgressions3].

These are the tree and the four transgressions, that He will not turn away itspunishment; but will send a fire of His wrath to devour the palaces of their evil. AlthoughHe does not endure sin, Yet He loves the sinners! This fire is probably the natural fruit ofthe sin, the consuming fire; God will let man harvest the fruit of his work; embrace thefire of his sin; to consume his palaces of vanity, that bear shining, yet temporary glitter.

That is concerning the Gentile nations as a whole; Now let us talk about each ofthem:

Damascus, the capital of Syria (Aram). From which Israel lived about a wholecentury in a state of terror; And some of the contemporaries of Amos lived through thewars brought up against Israel by Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-Hadad (2 Kings8: 7-15. 28-29; 10: 32-33; 13: 3-7, 22-25); Gilead, east of the Jordan, and north of Syria,has been the stage of those wars. The prophet Elisha, seeing, by the eye of prophecy, howbitter and fierce they will be, he wept ; And when Hazael -- before he took over the

1 Ser. On N.T. Lessons. Ser. 1: 34.2 Ep. 130: 8.3 On Ps. Ho 1; Comm. On Amos 1: 5.

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kingdom – asked him why he weeps, he answered: “Because I see the evil that you willdo to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, their young men youwill kill with the sword, and you will dash their children, and rip open their women withchild” (2 kings 8: 12).

As to the fruits of this ferocity:(1) God sent a fire into the house of Hazael, that devoured the palaces of Ben-

Hadad (4). If that king and his son thought that they could destroy and take over thekingdom of God; God with the fire of His justice returned the fire of their evil over theirpalaces, the center of their authority, the location of their plots, and the place of theirsecurity.

In bitterness I say that our inner Hazael is nothing but our human ‘ego’, whichoccupies the heart as her palace; And, together with the evil it produces (Ben-Hadad), itmakes war against our energies, talents, and potentials, to the account of evil; instead ofletting God reign over the heart, and of working as a tool of righteousness by God. …While assuming that it is able to reign, to have authority, and to dwell securely in its innerpalace, the ‘ego’ actually bring upon itself a fire that would consume its potentials, andmake it lose all its authority.

Let is then deliver our inner palace to our Lord Jesus, instead of delivering it toHazael and to Ben-Hadad, to make it their dwelling place, and the center of theirkingdom. Let the Lord proclaim in it His Kingdom, so strongly, that no fire of evil,especially that of the ‘ego’, would be able to approach; being flared by the heavenly fireof the Holy Spirit Himself, Who conforms it day to day, so that it may eventually reachthe full measure of the stature of Christ; And who sets forth with it from glory to glory, tobring it forth in Jesus Christ, into the bosom of the Father, where it will forever settle.

Let us deliver our palace to the heavenly King with His fiery Spirit, to keepHazael and his son Ben-Hadad from dwelling in it.

(2) God broke down the strongholds surrounding Damascus; … Not that manwould live with no strongholds; But, instead of the strongholds made of stone, he wouldfind in the Lord Himself, his stronghold and the refuge of his life. … When there arethose human arms of stone, man would lean on them; That is why the Lord destroysthem, to grant us instead the eternal arms, and we would say: “I will love You, O Lord, mystrength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, inwhom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18: 1,2).

Let the mortal stony walls of Damascus be destroyed; that the Lord would provideus with Himself, the Rock of Ages, a Stony Wall to which the serpent could neverapproach, to deceive us while we are inside it. We would enter into it and find comfort; Afiery divine wall would surround us, and flare our depths, to become like the heavenlycreatures, like “His ministers, the flames of fire” (Psalm 104: 4).

(3) The valley of Aven – also called the valley of vanity, or the valley of idols –turned into a ruin with no inhabitants. With evil working in man, he assumes that he hasacquired the human wisdom, that makes him rich at the expense of others; to find out thathe has acquired in his heart a valley of vanity, or a center of idol worship. By evil, heactually purchases a void; and by malice, he acquires a deprivation! That is the portion ofthe wicked about whom the Psalmist said: “They shall soon be cut down like the grass,and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37: 2).

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(4) Every great (who holds the scepter) from ‘Beth Eden’ (the house of gladnessand rejoice) will die. Man, through his preoccupation with temporal pleasures, will loseeverything great and strong in him.

(5) The people of Syria (the Aramites) shall go captive to Kir in the kingdom ofMady. This was historically realized as it came in (2 Kings 16:9; Isaiah 22: 5, 6).

Who are those Aramites, inhabitants of Jerusalem, on whom Haziel and his sonBen-Hadad reign, but the energies of man, his potentials, and his mental (mind) andphysical talents?! When Haziel ; namely, the ‘ego’ reigns on them, they would turn intoservitude, and would work to the account of the kingdom of Mady…. Man would lose hisenergies, not to live without any, but to live with energies dedicated to evil, and deviatedfrom their exalted mission… Man, with all his potentials, would work to the account, andat the service of the devil; Instead of having them exalted by the Holy Spirit, to work tothe account of the Kingdom of God.

In short, the fruit of what Haziel and his son Ben-Hadad have done; namely, ofpride, and self-esteem, is that man’s inner palace; and his stronghold in which he foundrefuge, would be destroyed; Would lose every greatness and strength, as in Beth Aven;Would acquire deprivation in Beth Eden, or house of gladness and rejoice; And all hisenergies would be captivated to the account of the devil! In other words, he would losehis authority (his palace), his peace (his strongholds), and his gladness (in Beth Eden).

That is what God meant by the judgment of Damascus So that when man realizesthe extent of complete deprivation and utter devastation, he has reached; he would takerefuge in God alone, which would restore to him, double as what he lost, on an exaltedheavenly level.

3- JUDGMENT OF GAZA:Gaza was the capital of the Philistines in those days, whose transgression was

their abuse of the children of Judah who resorted to their land from the face ofSennechrib the king of Assyria. They took them captives and sold them as slaves to theEdomites, the worst of their enemies; with the intention to wipe away the name of Israel,according to the words of the Psalmist: “Come, and let us cut them off from being anation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (Psalm 83: 4). That is whythe fire returned over them to devour the palaces of their main cities: Gaza, Ashdod,Ashkelon, and Ekron.

St. Augustine believes that the word Philistines means (those fallen throughdrinking wine)1; and refers to the souls drunkards by the love of the world and itspleasures. While St. Jerome interprets this name as (death by an intoxicating drink);believing that it refers to those who drink the cup of seduction of the devil, as a poisonfor the fast perdition and fall of the soul2.

4- JUDGMENT OF TYRE:Phoenicia and its capital Tyre, used to boast a mighty fleet and a huge trade, on an

international level. Disregarding the covenant of brotherhood between their king Hiramand king Solomon (1 Kings 5: 1-12; 9: 10-14), and delivering up the whole Israelicaptivity, who resorted to their land, to their enemy Edom; God allowed for their palaces

1 On Ps. 83: 5..175، 174، ص 1981حزقیال، 2

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to be devoured by fire, which was literally realized when Nebuchadnezzar put it undersiege, and took it over in the sixth century B.C.

Both St. Augustine1 and St. Jerome2, believe that the word ‘Tyre’ meansaffliction or tribulation; That is why what came concerning Tyre in the book of Ezekiel(Chapter 28), refers to the devil who bring men forth into tribulations and Satanictemptations.

5- JUDGMENT OF EDOM:Edom was Esau the brother of Jacob. The Edomites took an adversary position

against the children of Israel (Jacob) as they were crossing the wilderness, denying themthe right of passage through their territory (Numbers 20: 14-21). They often gloated onIsrael’s misfortunes; And sometimes attacked them3.

The word ‘Edom’ is derived from ‘Adam’, meaning (a bloody man) or (an earthlyman)4; and refers to love of bloodshed for the sake of earthly benefits.

For being flared with the fire of evil and that of the love of bloodshed; Godreturned the fire over Edom to burn down the palaces of his main province ‘Teman’(Teman was a tribe named after the firstborn of Eliphaz the son of Esau, and the landwhere he dwelt) (Genesis 26: 11, 15, 42). It is located north of Edom (Ezekiel 25: 13); itsinhabitants were known for their wisdom (Jeremiah 49: 7, 13) 5.

‘Bozrah’, whose palaces were also burned, was also a city in the land of Edom(Isaiah 34: 6; 63: 1). The word ‘Bozrah’ in Hebrew means a fortress or a sheep-hold. Itwas utterly devastated as prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 49: 13)… If‘Bozrah’ represents the fortress of Teman in Edom; Evil would burn up its goods, destroyits possibilities, and turn it into ruins.

6- JUDGMENT ON THE AMMONITES:In our study of the book of Ezekiel we saw that the Ammonites were the

descendants of ‘Ben Ammi’ the son of ‘Lot’ (Genesis 19: 38); a hard-hearted race, whoused to offer their own children as sacrifices to the god Milcom (1 Kings 11: 5-33); andwere continuously at war against the children of Israel6.

The Ammonites, representing ferocity based on greed; “ripped open the womenwith a child in Gilead, that they might enlarge their territory” (Amos 1: 13). A horribleportrait of how greed corrupts the heart of man and his natural compassion for the sake ofearthly profit; and transforms him into a wild animal with no compassion on weakwomen and helpless fetuses.

Their natural fruit would be that the walls of their capital ‘Rabbah’ would be bekindled by fire, its palaces would be devoured; would turn into a field of battle andtempest; and their king and princes will be captivated. And if the word ‘Rabbah’ means(great), he who treat others with cruelty and destroy them for the sake of his earthlypersonal profit, and to become the greatest and richest of all, will soon have his wallsdestroyed, his palaces burnt down, his inner life turn into a bitter battle field; will lose his

1 Pl 25: 240.2 On Ps. 83: 5.

.174–173حزقیال ص 34 On Ps. 83: 5.5 New Westminister DICT., of Bible, p. 929.

.171–169حزقیال ص 6

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true peace, and his thought, heart, and all his energies will be captivated by his enemy.When he assumes that he has got everything through his might, he will find himself in anutter void, and a complete loss, even of his life, peace, and potentials.

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CHAPTER 2

JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL AND JUDAHIn this chapter he resumes his talk about the judgment of the Gentile nations

around Judah and Israel; then talks about the judgment of Judah, and finally talks in moredetail about the judgment of Israel, which is the main issue,

1- Judgment of Moab 1 – 32- Judgment of Judah 4 – 53- Judgment of Israe l6 – 16

1- JUDGMENT OF MOAB:In our study of the book of Ezekiel, we saw that ‘Moab’ was a descendant of the

son of ‘Lot’ by his older daughter. He was called ‘Moab’ on account of that his mothergot him from her father; as the word ‘Moab’ means (from the father)1. St. Jeromebelieves that the older daughter, by getting her father drunk, sleeping with him to givebirth to her son ‘Moab’; She refers to Satan and all those who rebel against, and not thinkof God, their Father2. While St. Augustine believes that the children of Moab refer tothose who use the law in a wrong unlawful and offensive way; the way the older daughterof ‘Lot’ did, who used her father the wrong way3.

The crime of Moab was that he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime;which, although looking as some minor offense, yet God hates sin whatever its magnitudeis in our eyes. The amazing thing is that, although those bones belonged to a kingadversary to the people of God; Yet God does not like ferocity or violence, even ifdirected to dead adversaries.

The fruit of that ferocity was to send a fire upon Moab, devouring the palaces ofits most fortified city ‘Kerioth’, most probably its capital (Kherbet El Rabbah, 14 milessouth of the river Arnon); To turn Moab into a battle field, consumed with tumult, withshouting and trumpet sound; To cut off the judge from its midst, to become deprived ofjustice and wisdom; And that all its princes are to be slain.

What Moab did to the dead bones, with a wicked soul and a cruel heart, wouldreturn upon its cities, princes, and people!

2- JUDGMENT OF JUDAH:If the word ‘Judah’ means (confession); those who were committed to proclaim

their faith and to confess it through abiding to the divine commandment, “have despisedthe law of the Lord, and have not kept His commandments. Their lies led them astray,lies after which their fathers walked” (Amos 2: 4).

Instead of confessing the truth, they accepted vanity, and walked behind lies!It is painful to see the fire devour the palaces of Jerusalem. If the word

‘Jerusalem’ means (vision of God); Going astray from the commandment of God, andwalking behind lies, would corrupt the inner insight, and deprive it of the vision of God.Hence the Lord says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). And as St. Augustine says: [Let us purify our hearts by faith, to be qualified for the

.171-169حزقیال ص 12 On Ps. Hom. 34.3 On Ps. Hom. 83: 5.

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indescribable unseen vision1]. …All what the holy books present, are to purify the innerinsight from what may deprive it from seeing God. The physical eye is created to see thetemporal light; And in case some foreign body enters into it, it would disturb its clarityand interfere with its ability to see that light. The same way with the heart’s eye, If it isdisturbed or wounded, it would not dare or be able to see the light of righteousness …Now, what would disturb the clarity of your heart’s eye, and even blind it, other than thelust, the meanness, the iniquity, and the pleasure of the world2?!

3- JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL:Before presenting any sermons to Israel, he revealed to them three aspects of the

secret behind their judgment.(1) The oppression they practice (6 – 8).(2) Paying back the goods of God with denial (9 – 12).(3) Their falling together under judgment (13 – 16).

(1) The Oppression they practice: (verses 6 – 8)“Thus says the Lord: ‘For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will

not turn away its punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the poor fora pair of sandals” (Amos 2: 6)

This is probably the first written charge addressed by a ‘Writing Prophet’ againstIsrael, in the name of the Lord Himself: “That they sell the righteous for silver”. Who isthis righteous sold for silver, but the Lord Christ, who is alone righteous and with no sin,who was sold by the traitor Judas for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave (Matthew27: 5; Luke 22: 5); The Lord who purchased us, not with gold or silver, but with Hisprecious blood?!; The Lord who presented His life to redeem a slave; And the slave whosold His Lord for silver; about whom the prophet Zechariah bitterly said: “And the Lordsaid to me, ‘Throw it to the potter – that princely price they set on Me” (Zechariah 11:12, 13) !!!

It is the sin of all the generations; Israel sells the Lord for thirty pieces of silver;The silver of this world being in her eyes more exalted than the life with the Lord; Andthe temporal things are evaluated more valuable than the divine!

What does he mean by selling the poor for a pair of sandals (Amos 2: 6)?! …Who is that ‘poor’, sold for a pair of sandals?! But the Lord Christ, who presents Himselfto us through the poor, the suffering, and the needy?! God commanded His prophetMoses to take off his sandals to be qualified to tread unto the divine sanctuaries, tobehold the secrets of God, to enter with Him into an amiable debate, and to be given theshepherding task (Exodus 3). For the same reason, the Lord commanded His disciples notto wear sandals (Matthew 10: 10); so as not to be among those bound to the earth; but,through lifting their hearts up to heaven, they could draw with them every heart by theHoly Spirit, to where Christ sits. But man, instead of taking off his sandals to live inheaven, and to exalt to divine levels, he foolishly sells the poor (Christ Himself) for a pairof sandals; preferring being connected to the earthlies, and walking in the temporals, toliving in the heavenlies, and being liberated from the sandals.

1 In Ioan 5: 8..292، 291، ص 1970بیروت )الخوري یوحنا الحلو(خواطر فیلسوف في الحیاة الروحیة 2

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The scholar Origen1 believes that the sandals refer to the dead temporal life, andto the love of vain appearances. Like making the sandals and the drums that give loud andempty sound, from the skin of dead animals; So is selling the Lord Christ, with Hiseternal glory, for the sake of the dead temporal life; Or for acquiring vain temporal honor,that has the shining appearance, with no inner serious work.

The Lord then came to reveal strange examples of transgressions committed bythe Israelites, in which the most horrible defilement were mixed with oppression; whichare:

a-“They who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth” (Amos 2:7). Not only have they no compassion upon their poor brethren, but they cruelly oppressthem, and trample their heads by their feet in the dust of the earth.

Whose head are they trampling by their feet into the dust of the earth, but that ofthe Lord Christ Himself, the Head of the whole church?! They despise Him and insult Hisprecious salvation; About whom the apostle Paul says: “Of how much worse punishment,do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God under foot,counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, andinsulted the Spirit of grace?!” (Hebrew 10: 29).

Despising the poor and insulting him, we are actually despising his Head, theLord Jesus Christ Himself. That is why St. John Chrysostom says: [How great is thestature of the poor, being considered as equivalent to a dwelling place of the Lord, whereHe can hide! The poor may appear as the one who stretches his hand to beg, Yet it is GodHimself who receives your alms!] And on the tongue of the Lord, he also says: ‘Youheard that I am clothed with light as a robe; Yet when you clothe a naked poor, I, Myself,would feel the warmth, and reward you for the cover! 2’

b- “and push the afflicted out of the way” (Amos 2: 7) They do not stop at beingnegative, disregarding the poor and the afflicted; but if they happen to see himapproaching an open way for his salvation, they would close it in his face; They actuallywork to the account of the kingdom of oppression!

c- “A man and his father go in to the same girl, to defile My holy name” (Amos2: 7). What a horrible portrait of iniquity, for man and his father to partake of the sin ofadultery with the same girl! And as said by St. Basil the Great in his letter to Diodorius:[There is no mention in the law of that particular transgression; as such a horrible thing isunimaginable, and does not need to be warned against!; According to the words of theapostle Paul: “Fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be namedamong you, as is fitting for saints” (Ephesians 5: 3) 3].

d- “They lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge, and drink the wineof the condemned in the house of their god” (Amos 2: 8). They not only go to theheathen altars, and partake of the banquets of their temples; but they mix theiruncleanness with cruelty; While pretending piety, they lie down by every altar on clothestaken in pledge from the poor who are unable to pay their debts; and they drink the wineof those condemned and could not pay the fines put on them.!! They pretend to worship,using the clothes and wine of the poor, who cannot acquire the necessities of life.

.32، 31، ص 1981الخروج، :للمؤلف1.43، ص 1970الحب والعطاء، :للمؤلف2

3 Ep. 160: 3.

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(2) Paying back the goods of God with denial: (verses 9 – 12)By mentioning several examples of the bitter transgressions of the children of

Israel, mixed with oppression and cruelty; he intends to confirm that they are withoutexcuse; Instead of paying back the multitude of God’s good, through living a holy life,they walk in denial.

“Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before you, whose height was like theheight of the cedars, and was as strong as the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above andhis roots beneath. Also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, and ledyou forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorites I raised upsome of your sons as prophets, and some of your young men as Nazirites. Is it not so, Ochildren of Israel’’, Says the Lord. But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, andcommanded the prophets saying, ‘Do not prophesy’” (Amos 2: 9-12)

It is the perpetual story of man; God, in every generation presents salvation, andproclaims His exalted divine love for man; Yet man, in the foolishness of his heart paysthis love back with denial.

Historically, God paved the way for the Israelites in the old; As the Amorites,their enemies, were giants like cedars, and as strong as oaks, God destroyed their fruitabove, and uprooted them from beneath. Then He set forth, carrying His people as thoughon the wings of His exalted love, caring for them all along forty years through thewilderness, until He delivered to them the land of the Amorites. As a further sign of Hislove, He raised some of their sons as prophets, and some of their young men as Nazirites ,consecrated by His name! Yet, they paid back His love with hatred, and God’s gifts withdenial and rebellion. They gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophetsnot to utter the word of God. And as said by St. John Chrysostom: [God made it a pointto show that the Israelites are worthy of greater judgment; on account of that theytransgressed after been given such great gifts1].

Mentioning giving the Nazirites wine to drink, before commanding the prophetsnot to utter the word of God; is because drinking wine refers to man’s loss of balance andwisdom; And to minister to God while intoxicated with wine, would lead to thecorruption of the house of God, and the loss of its peace. And as said by St. Jerome:[Aaron and the other priests were commanded to refrain from drinking wine or any otherintoxicating drink before entering into the temple, lest they die; That teaches us that thosewho minister in the church without reverence would die2]. If commanding the prophets tostop testifying to God, by proclaiming the word of prophecy, is a serious sin, It would bemore so for those who enter the house of God; and not only refrain from uttering thetruth, but non-reverently distort the truth, corrupts God’s sanctuaries, and hinder thespiritual work.

What God did with Israel, He has done, and is still doing with each of us. TheAmorite He destroyed before us is the devil who had authority for so long; Whom, beinga giant like the cedar, and as strong as the oaks, we used to fear. But the Lord, with Hiscross, destroyed his authority, and by preaching Him, saw him fall like lightening fromheaven (Luke 10: 18). God brought us forth, as though from the land of servitude, bearingus by His Holy Spirit, to inherit the land possessed for so long by the Amorite. Coming to

1 On Priesthood 6: 11.2 Adv. Javinian 2: 15.

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be kings and priests of the Lord, I wish we do not do like the Israelites, drink the wine ofthis world, and stop the Spirit of prophecy and of the testimony to the Lord.

(3) Their falling together under judgment: (verses 13 – 16)To confirm to them, that having sinned, there is no possibility of escaping

punishment; The Lord began by saying: “Behold, I am weighed down by you, as a cartis weighed down that is full of sheaves” (Amos 2: 13). God who carries the whole worldby His might, groans because of our sins and iniquities, that weighs down on Him like acart full of sheaves, to say: “I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your newmoons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble for Me. I am weary ofhearing them; I am weary of bearing them” (Isaiah 1; !3, 14). Seeing His people’sapostasy, He bitterly says: “My heart churns within Me” (Hosea 11: 8).

I wish we are not like a cart full of the sheaves of evil, that weighs down the souland heart of our Redeemer and Heavenly Father; and makes Him say: “My soul isexceedingly sorrowful, even to death … O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup passfrom Me” (Matthew 26: 38, 39). I wish that the fiery chariot of God, that carries Hisheavenly nature, would work in us; so as not to present a heavy burden that weighs Himdown; but to fly high by the Holy Spirit of God, soaring to the heavenly places, fromglory to glory with no hindrance.

I wish, instead of being like a cart full of sheaves of evil, that hinders the salvationwork of God, we would become like a light and swift cloud that carries the Lord to cometo Egypt to establish an altar in its midst (Isaiah 19).

“Therefore flight shall perish from the swift; and the strong shall not retaintheir strength, Nor shall the mighty deliver himself; He shall not stand who handles thebow; The swift of foot shall not deliver himself, Nor shall he who rides a horse, deliverhimself. The most courageous men of might shall flee naked in that day’,says theLord” (Amos 2: 14-19)

What a tough and difficult situation; No one whatever are his wisdom or hispotentials, can flee from the judgment; Flight shall perish from the swift; namely, he whothinks of himself as clever, would not be able to deliver himself. On that day, when manfalls under the heavy weight of his sins, his mental potentials to swift action, his strongbody, his reputation of heroism, the bow in his hand, the horse he rides, or the mightyheart by which he is known; would not be enough to deliver him … He will not only beunable to flee, but he would stand naked; as he is found not clothed by Christ, ourrighteousness!

I wish we acquire Jesus Christ within us; I wish we are clothed and be coveredonly by Him; I wish we enter and take refuge into Him: I wish we hold His cross as abow, that would never fail: I wish our legs become strengthened to walk along the way oftruth, and to have the possibility to set forth, as though by a heavenly chariot, and to haveour hearts strengthened by Him; So that the day of the Lord would turn into a day of joyand conquest. Only Jesus is our strength, victory, spiritual weapon, eternal garment, gloryand joy, that would never be taken away from us.

In the old, the work of the law has been to proclaim the vanity of all our humanpotentials for salvation; Not to live destroyed, but to receive our Christ as the source ofour salvation.

The Psalmist looking around him for help among the rulers, and finding out howweak they are; he says: “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom

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there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plansperish” (Psalm 146: 3). Finding no possibility of salvation even in his own parents, hebitterly says: “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care ofme” (Psalm 27: 10); And finding no help among humans, he says: “I said in my haste, allmen are liars” (Psalm 116: 11).

Thinking of himself as mighty and of possibilities, man is rebuked by the Lord,saying: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in hismight, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches” (Jeremiah 9: 23); And in case he leans onhis horses, he hears: “A horse is a vain hope for safety” (Psalm 33: 17); and, “you said,‘No, for we flee on horses’, … We shall ride on swift horses’;… Therefore those whopursue you shall be (more) swift” (Isaiah 30: 16).

Let us receive God Himself ; He is our salvation, wisdom, riches, strength, andeverything for us.

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THE SECOND SECTION

SERMONS TO ISRAEL

(Chapters 3 to 8)

Sermon 1: To the children of Israel (Chapter 3)Sermon 2: To the cows of Bashan (Chapter 4)Sermon 3: A lamentation on the house of IsraelAddressed to the virgin of Israel (Chapter 5: 1-17)The first group of woes (Chapter 5: 18-27)Against those who anticipate the day of the Lord without preparation.The second group of woes (Chapter 6)Against those who walk loosely in pride and haughtiness.

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These sermons and the two groups of woes, are in essence, a call to repentance;exposing a multitude of the sins of the children of Israel – that, unfortunately are stillcommitted by some believers in the New Testament – They reveal our weaknesses in ourlife with God, and our behavior and dealing with our brethren, and even with ourselves.;And they reveal, as well, God’s inevitable chastisement on us because of our sins, and toprovoke us to return to Him … Hence the repetition of certain phrases, like: “Yet, youhave not returned to Me” (Amos 4: 11); “Seek the Lord and live” (Amos 5: 4, 6); “Seekgood and not evil” (Amos 5: 14); “Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate”(Amos 5: 15).

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CHAPTER 3

THE FIRST SERMONTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

In this sermon, God presents a justification for judging His people:1- God punishes them on account of that they are His own people1 – 22- God does not punish without reason 3 – 83- God will let the Gentiles testify against His people 9 – 114- None of them will escape 12 – 15

1- GOD PUNISHES THEM ON ACCOUNT OF THAT THEY AREHIS OWN PEOPLE:

“Hear the word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel,against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying: ‘You onlyhave I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all youriniquities”(Amos 3: 1, 2)

It is as though, with this introduction, God calls them to His tribunal, proclaimsthat He has the jurisdiction to try them, on account of being the whole tribe or family Hebrought up from the land of Egypt; rescued; cared for; called by His name; And hasknown of all the families of the earth. Yet this love and care, do not imply that He shouldclose His eyes on their transgressions; but would rather put on them more responsibility;as He would never have fellowship with transgressors. He knew them, and they knewHim; as it is written “In Judah, God is known” (Psalm 76: 1); And the Lord Himself says:“That servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according toHis will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committedthings worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given,from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed to him, they willask the more” (Luke 12: 47, 48). The more our knowledge is of God’s will, of Hissecrets, and of His exalted works of love; the more we shall be asked; and the greater willbe our responsibility before Him than others; according to the words of St. Cyril theGreat: [As far as he, who knows the will of his Master and ignore it, and does not do whatbefit it, the crime would be unquestionable1].

2- GOD DOES NOT PUNISH WITHOUT REASON:God, having the proper jurisdiction, called His people to trial before Him; And

roars like a Lion, a sign that they are worthy of judgment. To reveal that He would notseek this trial for His people without reason, He enters with them into a mutual debate, toclarify the secrets of His trial, And He provides the evidence through the following sevenquestions:

“Can two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”“Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?”“Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?”“Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it?”“Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing?”“Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid?”

1 In Luke, Ser. 93.

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“Does disaster befall a city, unless the Lord has done it?” (Amos 3: 3 – 6)If the answer to these seven questions is in the negative, He goes on to say:

“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants theprophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear?The Lord God has spoken! Who canbut prophesy?” (Amos 3: 7, 8)

If this talk revealed that this trial is not a fantasy, but is something very serious;and a matter of fact, realized not without cause; as the transgressions of those people havegone too far against the Holy God, as well as against themselves; These seven questionsrevealed as well, the following important and serious aspects that concern the relationshipof God with His people; because of which this trial is being held:

(1) The need for a new covenant, as is clear from the first question, saying: “Cantwo walk together unless they have a prior appointment and agreement? … Definitelynot! How then can God walk together with His people, when the later has broken thecovenant? About this, the Lord says: “If by these things you are not reformed by Me, butwalk contrary to Me, Then I will also walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yetseven times for your sins” (Leviticus 26: 23, 24) That is why, there was an urgent needfor setting a new covenant, by which God reconcile with His people; according to Hisproclamation to the prophet Jeremiah, saying: “Behold, the day are coming, says theLord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house ofJudah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I tookthem by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke,…. But this is the covenant … I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts;And I will be their God, and they shall be Mt people” (Jeremiah 31: 31-33).

That promise was realized on the Great Thursday, when the Lord Christ offered usHis body and blood, as a new covenant, in which we encounter the Father, by unitingwith Him in His Son, the crucified Jesus; By which we enjoy the body broken, and theblood shed, for the sake of our salvation; A new covenant, by which our sonhood to theFather and His fatherhood to us, are confirmed, through our union in the body of Hisonly-begotten Son. Yes indeed, in Jesus Christ, the slain, we encounter the Father, andwalk together with Him; having an agreement in the thought of His Son, and His eternalcovenant.

(2) God proclaims that in this trial: In His justice, He will know no slothfulness;He will forsake us to the evil which we freely acquired for ourselves; … He will beroaring like a lion in the thicket, where humanity is like a barren wilderness without fruit;We shall became a prey to be devoured; And He will be like a young lion which gets holdof the prey to take a portion of it; And there is no escape from the roaring lion or from theyoung lion, except by resorting to the cross, to encounter the Lion coming from the tribeof Judah, roaring, not on us, but on our sins, not to devour us, but to destroy the devil, ourenemy! Let us then flee from the roaring divine wrath, because of our acceptance of theenemy; Let us flee to God our Savior, who will redeem us from that enemy!

(3) By presenting to us the parable of the bird which falls in a snare; or the snarethat is taken up because it caught a bird; The Lord tends to proclaim that, in the trial, weare like a bird fallen in a snare; can we be saved on our own? By my Redeemer: “I willsay of the Lord, ‘He shall deliver (me) from the snare of the fowler, and from the perilouspestilence’” (Psalm 91: 3); and, “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the

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fowler; the snare is broken, and we have escaped; Our help is in the name of the Lordwho made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124: 7, 8).

St. Jerome says: [What is the snare that is broken? The apostle says: “The Lordwill crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16: 20); And, “… that they may cometo their senses and escape the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2: 26). There you see thatSatan is the (fowler) who seeks to catch our souls to perdition, by a multitude of snaresand deceptions of all kinds. As long as we are in state of grace, our souls are safe; butonce we play with sin, our souls will get disturbed, and we would be like a ship in astorm, struck by mighty waves1. He also says: Like the Lord who casts His net andcatches a huge number of fish; And like His disciples, being fishermen, who gather thosewho receive faith in Him, and bring them over to Him; In the same way, the devil has hisown hosts of demons, submitted to him, who set snares to catch and bring men over tohim2.

And St. Augustine, telling us the secret of our escape from the snare, says:[Because the Lord is in the soul, it escapes like a bird from a snare; … Let the Lord be inyou, to save you even from bigger threats, … Be sure that the snare will be broken; …And as the pleasures of the present life will not last long, but will eventually come totheir ultimate end; I wish we would not be disturbed by them; So that when the snare isbroken, we would joyfully say: “The snare is broken, and we have escaped”. And inorder not to assume that this could be done on your own, You should look for Him whoworks on saving you, and say: “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heavenand earth”3.

(4) “Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid?”. As we are in aperpetual state of spiritual war, as long as we are in this world, The enemy will not stophis attempts to snatch us from the Kingdom of God, to bring us over to that of hisdarkness. The Lord keeps on sending His ministers all the time to blow the trumpet of thegospel, until the ultimate conquest is realized. The apostle Paul says: “Finally, mybrethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor ofGod that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestleagainst flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers ofthe darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”(Ephesians 6: 10-12).

St. Augustine says: [Let us look at two enemies: the one we see, and the one wedo not see; Man we can see, but the devil we cannot. Therefore, let us love the first, andbe aware of the second; Let us pray for man, and pray against the devil]. And to explainthis, he says: [We suffer from men who offend us, as being vessels of the devil, used byhim, and as his tools, he moves them to his account4].

(5) “Does disaster (evil) befall a city, unless the Lord has done it?”. By that, theLord proclaims that He allows for the trial for the sake of chastisement.

Many Fathers, commenting on the word ‘evil’ that came here, and in many othersimilar instances; discern between two different kinds of evil: the evil by nature, contraryto virtue and goodness; and that which causes pain or anguish, and is counted by us as

1 On Ps. Hom. 20.2 Ibid 51.3 On Ps. 124.4 Ibid 56.

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‘evil’. As confirmed by St. John Chrysostom1, as well as by father John of Damascus:[These words do not mean that God is the source of evil; As the word ‘evil’ is used in twoways: It may mean evil by nature, which is contrary to virtue, and is against the will ofGod; Or may mean what, according to our senses, we consider evil, because it may causeus sorrow and anguish; although it may actually be a sign of salvation, whose source,according to the Holy Book, is God Himself2]. And father Theodore says: [By Hisdivine ordinance, God talks to humans, according to their own language and humanfeelings. A physician, cutting or burning human members to save a patient’s life, Hisactions may be considered by some people as a kind of evil3].

(6) God proclaims that when He allows for judgment or chastisement, “He revealsHis secret to His servants the prophets”. In all the books of the prophets, we can see thatGod does not deal in a dictator’s way; but often enters into debates with His belovedsubjects; And because of man’s weakness, He sometimes repeats what He says severaltimes, in order that he would comprehend what are behind God’s exalted ordinances, asmuch as he can endure.

God loves man, and sometimes talks to him like man-to-man. When He intendedto destroy Sodom and Gomorrah by fire, He said: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I amabout to do” (Genesis 18: 17), He even allowed Abraham to ask Him: “Will You indeedsweep away the righteous with the wicked? … Shall not the Judge of the earth do what isjust?”. He did not get angry, but completed the debate as though with a friend and anequal!! … In several occasions the Lord says: “Let us contend together” … He intends todebate with man, to “proclaim His secret counsel to the upright who fear Him” (Proverb3: 32); and “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show themHis covenant” (Psalm 25: 14).

(7) Finally, God admonishes them, saying: “A lion has roared! Who will notfear? The Lord God has spoken1 Who can but prophesy?” (8). If God in His loveproclaims His secret counsel to His prophets, How could they, in their turn, afford not toproclaim to the people, the roar of the Lion, who comes out of His tribe, to let them allfear Him and prepare themselves for His encounter?! The work of the prophets is to carrythe divine message, even if it appears as a burning fire or sounds as the roar of a lion; inorder for all to fear God and to return to Him; the goal of the prophets is to utter theirprophecies, as a preliminary preparation for the ultimate coming of the Lord.

St. Augustine in a nice commentary on, “A lion has roared! Who will not fear?”,says: [As man can tame a lion, and fears it no more; Yet, he cannot tame himself; So lethim deliver himself to God alone, the Tamer of the souls! … If man – the image of God –can tame the fierce souls; Can God not tame His own image4?! … Let us the deliverourselves into His hands, as He, alone, can tame them.

3- GOD WILL LET THE GENTILES TESTIFY AGAINST HISPEOPLE:

God intended to let their heathen neighbors: the rich of Ashdod in Palestine(Assyria in the Septuagint version), and the rich of Egypt, those near and far; come toattend the trial. It is as though, not finding among His own people, righteous men to

1 That demons do not govem the world 5; In Matt. 22: 5.2 Expos. Of Orthodox Faith, 19.3 Cassian: Conf. 6: 6.4 Ser. On N.T. Lessons 5: 3.

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arbitrate between Him and His vineyard; God resorted to strangers, to judge, if there isany injustice in His ordinance toward His people. And by calling them, God intends aswell, to let them get in touch with His holy Person; And to learn, that if He is judging Hisown people on their sins, How could He be impartial toward the strangers?! … Namely,by their presence, they may reconsider their own position toward Him!

The horror of the transgressions practiced inside Samaria – the capital of Israel –has reached an extent beyond the endurance of the Holy God; that even the Gentileswould testify that the smell of evil has reached them! … What bitterness! … Instead ofhaving the children of the Kingdom testify against the wicked, and judge them, Thewicked, themselves, became witnesses against the people of God; having seen the greattumult in their midst, and the disturbance, instead of the exalted glory of the heavenlylife; and the oppression instead of justice and righteousness; and how they have turnedinto storehouses of violence and robbery, that they do not know how to do right anymore. … About His people, the Lord say to the Gentiles: “Assemble on the mountains ofSamaria; See great tumults in her midst, and the oppressed within her. For they do notknow to do right; … who store up violence and robbery in their palaces” (Amos 3: 9,10)

That is why God surrounds her with anguish from every side, and takes away herauthority and honor.

Israel that was supposed to be like salt to reform others, became corrupted and“lost its flavor, good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men”(Matthew 5: 13). Israel, who in the eyes of God, was like the high priest who intercedeson behalf the heathen nations; if he errs, who will intercede on his behalf? … It wasbefitting for Israel to be the role model for the Gentiles on salvation; but now, havingforsaken faith, what will be his destiny?!

All this would bring forth terror to the hearts of Christians and to those of theirpriests in particular; as the more our responsibility becomes, the more severe ourpunishment would be when we err. As St. John Chrysostom says: [If others fall, theywill probably be forgiven; But if the teacher falls, he will have no excuse, and will fallunder the most severe punishment1.

4- NONE OF THEM WILL ESCAPE:God, in His judgment of His people, gave an amazing analogy; That if He, being

the Shepherd who searches for every lost sheep among His flock, and takes it out of themouth of a lion, even if nothing remains of it, more than two legs, or even a piece of anear …; That same exalted care, and amazing love, would make Him search for His peoplewherever they are, and allow for their captivation, for the sake of chastisement.

The feelings of many fathers have been so shaken before that exalted shepherdinglove of God; that St. Basil the Great says in one of his messages to his congregation:[Strive to rise from your fall down on the ground; and remember that you have a GoodShepherd who searches for you, to save you from the mouth of the lion who devouredyou; even if nothing of you remain, more than two legs or a piece of an ear; …Remember God’s mercies, He who heals you by oil and wine; Never despair ofsalvation2!

1 In Matt. Hom. 15: 11.2 Ep. 44: 2.

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The Lord, who in His love, snatches us out of the lion’s mouth; Will take out thechildren of Israel from their land, wherever they are, “who dwell in Samaria” (Amos 3:12); Will follow up their steps, even if they escape to Damascus; and even if they hide “inthe corner of a bed”; to bring them over to the land of captivity.

He punishes, not for punishment sake, but for two reasons: To wipe out idolatry;And to destroy the life of luxury and looseness: “I will visit destruction on the altars ofBethel; and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground; I will destroy thewinter house along with the summer house; The houses of ivory shall perish’, Says theLord” (Amos 3: 14, 15).

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CHAPTER 4

THE SECOND SERMONTO THE COWS OF BASHAN

The Lord directs His talk to the children of Israel, calling them ‘the fat cows ofBashan’ which, on the mountains of Samaria; are not just browsing at the expense ofothers, but are crushing them as well; That is why they are worthy of chastisement; acontinuous chastisement, and in diverse ways, until they seek salvation; whatever thesacrifices they offer.

1- The oppressive cows of Bashan 1 – 22- Rejection of the worship going hand in hand with oppression 4 – 53- Diverse ways of chastisements 6 – 114- The shining of salvation 12 – 13

1- THE OPPRESSIVE COWS OF BASHAN:“Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria,

who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring wine, letus drink’” (Amos 4: 1)

‘Bashan’, a Hebrew name meaning (a flat or level land), refers to the land thatbelonged to half the tribe of Manasseh (Deuteronomy 3: 13), in the Land of Canaan, Eastof the Jordan, between the mountain of Harmod and Gilead; A very fertile land, withplenty of water; Mentioned more than 60 times in the Holy Book; Known for its fatlingsherds (Psalm 22: 12; Hezekiel 39: 18); And famed for their evergreen forests of oaks(Isaiah 2: 13; Hezekiel 27: 6; Zechariah 11: 2), up to our present day1.

Here, the Lord likens the people of Israel, known for their oppression of the poor,and crushing the needy: to the fat and strong cows of Bashan, that browse on richpastures. The extremely rich and the elite among the people, instead of helping themiserable and the oppressed, They crushed them more by oppression and tyranny; thatthe rich became more rich, and the poor became more poor and miserable.

Those rich people used to go to their equally oppressive peers, and say: “Bringwine, let us drink”, in extravagant banquets, packed with pleasures and evil lusts; mixingtheir drinks with the tears of the poor and the oppressed; according to the words of thewise Solomon: “Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under thesun; And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter – On the side oftheir oppressors there was power” (Ecclesiastes 4: 1).

Some believe2 that the cows of Bashan, here, are the Israeli women who got fatand more violent, because of the multitude of banquets, and of their life of excessiveluxury. Those who live in Samaria used to demand from their husbands – their masters ortheir ‘Baals’ – to realize for them what the greater ‘Baal’ demands! And as the worship of‘Baal’ was mainly set upon drinking wine in an excessive way, Those other ‘Baals’ usedto provide their women with as much wine. It is as though, those ‘cows of Bashan’, as aresult of their persuasion of their husbands to provide them with their mortal pleasures,

1 New Westminister Dict. Of the Bible, p. 94, 95. .182حزقیال ص 2 Jerome Biblical Comm., P. 248.

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especially the incessant drinking of wine, were accordingly responsible for the oppressionof the poor and the needy.

“The Lord God has sworn by His holiness, ‘Behold, the day shall come uponyou when He will take you away with fishhooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.Through breaches in the wall you shall leave, each one straight ahead of her, And youshall be flung out into Harmon ‘, says the Lord’” (Amos 4: 2, 3)

What would God do to those oppressive cows?!(1) The Lord has sworn by His holiness, because what those cows of Bashan have

done with His poor and needy children, that He will take them away with fishhooks; Asthe Lord said to Sennacherib the king of Assyria on the tongue of the prophet Isaiah:“Because your rage against Me and your tumult have come up to My ears, Therefore Iwill put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back by theway which you came” (Isaiah 37: 29; 2 Kings 19: 28).

It seems that the hook that were normally put in the nose of the violent wildanimal to draw it along, were also used with the human captives, including the kings, tohumiliate them, the way the king of Assyria did with Menasseh king of Judah (2Chronicles 33: 11)1. If the cows of Bashan, for the sake of their own pleasures, have beenstirred up against the poor, God will draw them captives with fishhooks in their noses,without honor, authority, or power!

The world, with its pleasures, would turn man into a fierce and wild animal, whoassumes that no one could escape from its fangs and claws; to find himself eventuallydrawn in humiliation, to taste the bitterness of his oppression.

(2) The punishment does not stop at the cows of Bashan, but would extend to theirposterity, to be drawn with fishhooks as well! Man in his foolishness would bring lossand perdition over himself, as well as over his children.

If the children of Israel represent the human soul, Their women, namely, the cowsof Bashan, represent the body, that would in humiliation, fall together with the soul, andbe destroyed; Whereas the children represent the talents, that would fall down and be lost,together with man’s spirit, body, and energies, because of sin. On the contrary, therighteous will have his souls exulted, his body sanctified, and his talents grown;according to the words of the Psalmist: “Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the veryheart of your house, Your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thusshall the man be blessed, who fears the Lord” (Psalm 128: 3, 4). He will be blessed,together with his wife, and children; namely, his soul, body, and talents.

(3) Each cow will leave through breaches in the wall, straight ahead, to be flungout into the fortress, the palace, or ‘Harmon’, (according to the Greek text). The breachesin the wall might have happened in the walls , when the cows of Bashan, in theiroppression and defilement, refused to stay within the walls of the divine commandment;Namely, they left through the breaches in the walls, to keep away from thecommandment, and set forth toward the palace or fortress they have built for themselvesby their own hands, hoping it will protect them; the way man did in the old, when he builtthe tower of Babel to hide in it from the face of God.

If the Greek text mentioned ‘Harmon’ instead of fortress; the breaches hereprobably mean that the cows of Bashan that oppressed the poor will fall into captivity

1 New Westminister Dict. P 403.

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when the walls of Samaria are broken and destroyed; will find no escape, but will betaken into captivity as though to the slaughter house1; and led by the enemy into Harmon,there to stay in humiliation.

2- REJECTION OF THE WORSHIP GOING HAND IN HAND WITHOPPRESSION:

The children of Israel may assume that these warnings do not concern them; Asthey go to Bethel to offer sacrifices; present tithes without delay, and burn offerings ofthanksgiving to God … In their own eyes, they love God!

How simple it is for man to deceive himself, and deal with his evil, not byrepentance and returning to God, but by carrying out some formalities of worship;through which they deprive the ecclesiastical rites of their spirit, through separating themfrom the practical life of faith; and through distorting the offerings and gifts, bypresenting them without the heart.

“Come to Bethel and transgress; At Gilgal multiply transgression” (Amos 4: 4)God says this mockingly; as, while committing all wickedness and oppressions,

they keep on filling the sanctuaries, pretending to be people of religion and spirituality;They go to the sanctuaries, yet unsanctified; they go to the house of God, and do notreturn to God Himself! … He is as though saying to them, [Transgress, and multiplytransgression; … If going frequently to the sanctuaries is to cover up your hidden evil,You are actually adding to it, and treating the wounds with more dangerous wounds].

“Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days” (Amos 4:4)

The Jew was committed to offer an annual sacrifice (1 Samuel 1: 3, 7, 21); and topresent the accounts of his tithes every three years (Deuteronomy 14: 28; 26: 12). Even ifthe oppressor offers a sacrifice every morning, instead of every year; and gives his tithesevery three days instead of every three years, It would not be well-received by God …who is not to be bribed by offerings and gifts, but seeks the spirit of giving, and the innerfruit of the heart, more than He seeks the gift itself. And as the apostle Paul says to thePhilippians, with love: “You sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seekthe gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account” (Philippians 4: 16, 17). For thissame reason, the apostle warns us against giving without love, saying: “Though I bestowall my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love,it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13: 3).

“Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven. Proclaim and announce thefreewill offerings. For so you love to do, O people of Israel’, says the Lord God”(Amos 4: 5)

As though He says: By coming to My house and My sanctuaries to offersacrifices, and present tithes, you offend Me; because you offer leaven and freewillofferings to My house. … Offering leaven was prohibited by the law: “No grain offeringthat you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you must not turn any leaven orhoney into smoke as an offering by fire to the Lord” (Leviticus 2: 11). As leaven refer toevil that spreads like leaven in the dough; Therefore, by offering sacrifices ofthanksgiving to God, that carry their evil with it; they actually provoke Him to anger.

1 Ibid P. 365.

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In the Septuagint version it came as: “They read the law outside, and call forpublic meetings”. He probably means that, pretending to be religious, they discuss anddebate the divine law with non-believers with great enthusiasm, and in public meetings.Yet they do not carry the law in their hearts, nor have a true relationship with God. Thatis the most serious portrait of religion, when it concentrates on showing off enthusiasmwithout an inner true life! And on partaking of collective worship and religiouscelebrations, without a hidden relationship with God in the soul, or in the secret place! …That is what the people of Israel loved to do, as the Lord says.

3- DIVERSE WAYS OF CHASTISEMENTS:He mentioned the diverse chastisements under which He allowed them to fall,

from which they did not profit; and each time He admonishes them, saying: “’Yet youhave not returned to Me’, says the Lord” (6, 8, 9, 10, 11). This shows that chastisementin the eyes of God, are not for the sake of revenge, but for love…, He longs to see manreturn to Him.

If the past chastisements, although many and diverse, did not realize their goal,because of the hardness of man’s heart; He is committed to present chastisement of morecruel nature, in order for man to wake up, acknowledge God, and prepare himself to meetHim: “And because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12). This phrase is probably the key of the Book of Amos, or even of the whole HolyBook; Namely, that everything God does to His people, whether good or bad, gentle orfirm, He does to let them prepare themselves to meet their God who descends to dwell inthem, and to sanctify them as His own people!

What are the chastisement that God allowed to come upon His people?“I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your

places; Yet you have not returned to Me”(Amos 4: 6). Their teeth became clean becausenothing ever enter their mouth to be chewed and eaten! In the Septuagint version it came:Their teeth became non-functioning, like someone unemployed of no benefit for himselfor to others.

Saying, “I gave you”, refers to the fact that all the natural calamities that causefamines, and make their teeth clean because of no use, do not happen haphazardly, butaccording to an elaborate divine plan, and a high exalted ordinance as a divine ‘gift’. Godgives the goods, as He gives the anguish, the temptations, and the famines. By His love,He treats us with compassion and satisfies us; And by His wisdom He chastens us withdeprivations to make us return to Him.

The temptations and chastisements, He allows, reveal the work of sin in us, and itshidden evil; as it brings about:

(1) Famines: “lack of bread in all your places” (Amos 4: 6); probably referring tothe famine which happened in the days of the prophet Elisha and lasted seven years (2Kings 8: 1). Sin also causes a spiritual famine, a need of spiritual bread in man’s innerlife; no satisfaction, and a great void that could only be filled by the Lord Himself, theBread coming down from heaven (John 6).

(2) Spiritual draught: “I also withheld the rain from you, when there were stillthree months to the harvest. I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on anothercity. One field would be rained upon, and the field on which it did not rain withered. Sotwo or three cities wandered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied”(Amos 4:7, 8)

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Forsaking the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 2: 13); namely Christ the Savior,the soul is deprived of the rain of the Holy Spirit, to remain in a state of draught! Twocities close to each other; one is dampened by the rain of the Spirit, while the other driesup; Two parts or fields of one city, one is dampened by the grace of the Spirit, and theother stays dry! In the world we find some hearts, opened to the fiery gift of the Spirit, toflare by it, and to bear the divine nature; And we find other hearts, shut up on themselves,to live in dryness, dead in Spirit, with nothing but barrenness and perdition! And as saidby the Lord on the mouth of the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, My servants shall eat, but youshall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; Behold, Myservants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed; Behold, My servants shall sing, for joyof heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and wail for grief of spirit” (Isaiah 65: 13,14).

What are those two or three cities that wandered to another city to drink water,and were not satisfied, but the foolish virgins who seek oil from the wise ones, lest theirlamps would go out; to hear them say: “No, lest there should not be enough for us andyou” (Matthew 25: 9); and to end up being denied an entrance to the wedding, and thedoor shut up in their faces..

(3) Damaging pests like blight, mildew, and locusts, would devour the fruits of thesoul, corrupt its inner garden, and destroy its vineyards and fig trees .. Which we havealready discussed in detail in our study of the book of Joel.

If the soul is the inner garden or paradise, with its spiritual vineyards and fig trees,that bring gladness to God; Sin, on the other hand, is like pests that turn that garden into awilderness, and the fruit trees into a desert.

(4) A plague would infects the soul as well as the body, to turn man into aninvalid, helplessly lying on his bed, unable to do any work; and in need of the Savior, thetrue Physician of the soul.

(5) Their young men would be killed with the sword; namely, man’s talents (hischildren) and his energies would be destroyed.

(6) Their horses would be captivated: If the horses refer to strength and might; Bycommitting sin, man would lose his authority over himself, and would turn into a captivewith no strength nor freedom to work.

(7) The stench of their camps would come up into their nostrils … Instead of thesweet fragrance of Christ, that brings gladness to God the

Father and rejoicing to the heavenly creatures; A stench would come up fromman’s inner self, as though from a dead body! He would be in need to hear the voice ofthe Lord Jesus, saying: “Lazarus, come forth!”, so that the dead man in him would comeout of his tomb, carrying, the fragrance of life, instead of the stench of the dead,

(8) Destruction by earthquakes and volcanoes: “I overthrew some of you, as Godoverthrew Sodom and Gomorrah; and you were like a firebrand plucked from theburning” (11) Instead of being destroyed by earthquakes and volcanoes with theirdevastating fire, we are in need for the Lord to come to us as though on a swift cloud, todestroy our inner idols, to burn our evil, and to set in the midst of our hearts an altar forHimself; as is said by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, andwill come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart ofEgypt will melt in its midst; … In that day there will be an altar in the midst of the land ofEgypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border” (Isaiah 19 1, 19).

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Those were the divine chastisements that exposed the work of sin in the heart; andin man as a whole; with the goal of: “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel”(Amos 4: 12)

4- THE SHINING OF SALVATION:The chastisements of God exposed our corrupt condition; the way the surgeon,

with his scalpel, opens up a wound to expose the corruption hidden within. Now, howwould the wound be bandaged, and our condition be reformed. How would the saying“Prepare to meet your God” be realized? The answer lies in the divine words: “For Lo,the One who forms the mountains, creates the wind (the spirit), reveals His thoughts(His Christ) to mortals, makes the morning darkness, who treads on the heights of theearth – The Lord, the God of hosts is His name” (Amos 4: 13)

The Lord of Glory says: “What king, going to make war against another king,does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet himwho comes against him with twenty thousands” (Luke 14: 31). And the Psalmist says: “OLord God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surroundsYou. You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them. You have brokenRahab in pieces, as one who is slain; you have scattered Your enemies with Your mightyarm. The heavens are Yours, The earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, Youhave founded them” (Psalm 89: 8-11). If the kings and the armies during war take refugein the mountains, God, being the Maker of mountains, and the founder of the entireworld, does not take refuge in mountains. Entering into contention against God, Israelshould know who God is, and what His potentials are, or else he should reconcile withhim!

He says: “He created the wind”; and in the Septuagint version: “He created thespirit”; The Creator of the wind, for which the leader of a battle cares, is God Himself.

He makes the dawn (the morning darkness), by sending the dense clouds to coverthe earth and to conceal the light. He treads the high places of the earth … He is Jehovah,the incomprehensible and the unutterable! That is Your God, whom you are committed toprepare to meet, O Israel; not for contention, but for reconciliation!

In the Septuagint version it came as: “He who forms the thunder, and creates thespirit, who declares to man his Christ”. Many fathers, like St. Augustine1 believe thatthis text bears an obvious prophecy about the Messianic era; And that the new Israelshould prepare to encounter with his God through the declaration of the Father about HisChrist to man, to receive Him as the secret of reconciliation between the Father and man.

Some heretics, on account of the words “He creates the spirit”, attempted to usethis text to claim that the Holy Spirit is created, Yet many fathers, like St. Gregory,bishop of Nyssa, rebutted their claim by saying: [We should realize that the prophet,when he speaks about forming the thunder, is referring to the creation of another spiritaltogether,; and not to the Holy Spirit. As the name ‘thunder’, in the Hebrew language,was given to the gospel.;Those in whom the unshaken faith in the gospel is founded,cross over from the body to the spirit, according to the words of the Lord: “That which isborn of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3: 6). It isGod who founds the sound of the gospel, and makes man a spirit (spiritually). To himwho is born of the Spirit and becomes a spirit, Christ is proclaimed, according to the

1 City of Gof 18: 28.

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words of the apostle: “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1Corinthians 12: 3) 1.

That is the secret of the encounter of the new Israel; That God founds the thunder;namely, sends to us the word of preaching that thunders in the soul, and creates in us thespiritual nature instead of the carnal life; that Christ, the Lord of Glory, is proclaimed inus by His Holy Spirit.

By that, the prophet has turned the mind of Israel, from the cruel chastisements -that failed to bring them back to God, but have only exposed their weakness and the workof sin in them – to the Savior Messiah, proclaimed by the Father to man, to receive Himby the Holy Spirit, a Redeemer and a Savior.

1 On the Faith (to Simplicius).

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CHAPTER 5

THE THIRD SERMONA LAMENTATION ON THE VIRGIN OF ISRAEL

AND THE FIRST GROUP OF WOESIn this third and last sermon He addresses His talk to the children of Israel, as a

lamentation on the fallen virgin of Israel, showing her miserable condition, andpresenting the way to life instead of the death that prevailed on her. This chapter includesa group of woes (verses 18-27); although some consider the verses 10 to 17, as beingwoes as well. Anyway this whole chapter and the following one, are one sermon for thefallen virgin of Israel.

1- The fallen virgin of Israe l1 – 32- Seek the Lord and not the ido l4 – 93- Oppression in the courts of justice 10 – 154- Wailing and mourning 16 – 175- The first group of woes:a- Desiring the day of the Lord 18 – 20b- The formal worship 21 – 24c- Mixing the worship of the Lord with idol worship 25 – 27

1- THE FALLEN VIRGIN OF ISRAEL:He starts the third sermon by a lamentation on the virgin of Israel:“Hear the word which I take up against you, this lamentation, O house of

Israel: The virgin of Israel has fallen; she shall rise no more. She lies forsaken on herland; there is no one to raise her up. For thus says the Lord God: ‘The city that goesout by a thousand, shall have a hundred left.And that which goes out by a hundred,shall have ten left to the house of Israel”(Amos 5: 1-3)

The words in our hands are a lamentation set by the Lord Himself, to describewith sadness, the condition reached by the virgin of Israel. By calling her ‘a virgin’, Heprobably proclaims that this lamentation on the dead, is said on the virgin of Israel who islike a bride who died in the prime of her life, a virgin who has not yet enjoyed themarried life. She is the virgin whom the Lord expected to be His perpetual bride; But,because she chose the way of spiritual death, she lost her life before having the chance toenjoy the union with her Groom.

God probably called her ‘the virgin of Israel’, as a sign that, up till that moment,she was the virgin, who was never defeated nor fallen into captivity … But through herevil, she has lost her virginity, and even her whole life. Being His virgin bride, God hasjealousy on her. The apostle Paul bore the spirit of his Lord when he said: “I am jealousfor you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may presentyou as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow as the serpent deceived Eve byhis craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2Corinthians 11: 2-3).

The virgin of Israel has fallen from what she should be as a virgin for the Lord,bearing His holiness and splendor. She, unfortunately has fallen, and shall rise mo more,on account that she rejected her Groom’s chastisement, for the sake of her return to Him.Leaning upon herself or upon others, she has no one to raise her up. She lies forsaken on

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her land, She did not go out to fight an external battle, but was defeated within herself,because of her inner weakness; according to the words of the Lord Himself: “A man’sfoes will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10: 36). We fall in our innerJerusalem when we abide to the ‘ego’, and live for ourselves and not for the Lord wholoves us.

Falling in her inner battle because of the ‘ego’ that seeks what is for herself andnot what is for the others; the soul of man would have much to lose; If she goes out by athousand, she shall have a hundred left; and if she goes out by a hundred, she shall haveonly ten left. She would lose much, and a few faithful remnants would remain kept withGod; that remnant amounting to one tenth is in the eyes of God so dear and valuable tokeep for the sake of His faithfulness toward His believers. We saw that more clearly inour study of the Book of Ezekiel in more than one location1.

God would not forget the hundred for the sake of the thousand; nor the ten for thesake of the hundred. He has not forgotten Lot and his two daughters for the sake of theentire region of Sodom and Gomorrah; Nor has He forgotten Noah and his family for thesake of the corruption of the whole world.

2- SEEK THE LORD AND NOT THE IDOL:Presenting a lamentation on the virgin of Israel, He did not stop at that sorrowful

description, but revealed the way to safety through resorting to God, the source of life,and forsaking the idol worship; saying: “Seek Me and live; But do not seek Bethel, norenter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba” (Amos 5: 4, 5)

The people in those days bore the outer appearances of religion; Although theyused to go out to worship in the holy places, yet it seems that worshipping God got mixedwith idol worship, especially in the main locations in Israel, like Bethel, Gilgal, andBeersheba; Or that their worship probably turned into mere formalities to pacify theirconscience, by offering much to God at those locations; Yet, as they did not seek Him bytheir hearts, nor keep His commandments in their life and behavior, As I said before, therite separated from the spiritual life, and their worship turned into a cover for their evilway of life.

By seeking the holy places, Our first and last goal should be the life by and withGod: “Seek Me and live”. Notice that the word “seek”, does not mean just asking withthe mouth, but extends to having a true inner longing toward God, the Secret of our truelife. And As St. Augustine says, talking to God: [How should I seek You, O My Lord?… Seeking You, I seek the happy life; … By seeking You, my soul lives; as my bodylives by my soul, and my soul lives by You2!

Those locations which were previously holy, became offense through idolworship; Hence He says: “For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shallcome to nothing”(Amos 5: 5)

When the Samaritan woman said to the Lord Jesus: “’Our fathers worshipped onthis mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought toworship’. Jesus said to her: “Believe Me, the hour is coming when you will, neither in thismountain, nor in Jerusalem worship the father; … God is Spirit, and those who worshipHim must worship in spirit and truth” (John4: 21, 24).

1 Confession 10: 20..85حزقیال ص 2

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We do not deny that God finds pleasure in the holy place, that man, in love,dedicate to be places to worship Him; Yet His pleasure is for the sake of man who issanctified by them! Even in a consecrated church, the heart of man rises beyond all thefrontiers of place or time, to set forth to eternity, to find the Spirit of God raising him upto heaven itself. In a previous work, I dealt with the building of the church, and itsconcept and relationship to the inner life of the soul of man, as well as to the heavenlyand liturgical1 life. In case the house of God loses its spiritual concept, and man confineshimself to the dust and earth, the house of God would turn into a hindrance, rather than asecret of setting forth of the soul to heaven!

The Lord says: “Seek God and live” (6). That is the ultimate goal of our wholeworship, to encounter our Lord Jesus, and to seek Him with our whole heart, as the secretof our life. Then the Lord threatens: “Lest He breaks out like fire in the house of Joseph,and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel” (Amos 5: 6)

Many tribes of Israel used to bless the children of Joseph, because the mountain ofBethel was among their portion (Joshua 16: 1, 2). But that mountain, if misused, wouldturn into a burning fire. Likewise, the priesthood, which gives man huge spiritual andshepherding possibilities, if misused, would turn into a weapon for perdition! … Andwhy should we talk about Bethel and the priesthood, When the Lord Christ Himself, thesecret of salvation for many, says that His coming has become the secret of judgment forthose who deny Him: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, butnow they have no excuse for their sin; If I have not done among them the works which noone else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me andMy Father” (John 15: 22, 24). And as the apostle Paul said about the Lord Christ: “Forwe are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and amongthose who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to the otherthe aroma of life to life” (2 Corinthians 2: 15, 16).

We come back to Israel to find him mixing the worship of the living God withidol worship; and to find Bethel turning into perdition for the house of Joseph; Here Hemeans all Israel coming to Bethel, whose life is flared with the fire of evil with no one toquench itl; have turned the truth into the bitterness of oppression, and have corrupted theheavenly righteousness by casting it to the ground. “You who turn justice to wormwood,and cast righteousness to the ground”(Amos 5: 7)

Like the wormwood, an extremely bitter herb, which no man can endure, Whenthe truth that would bring pleasure to the heart of God and man, turns into iniquity, itwould turn into the contrary, it would become as bitter as wormwood. So are those withgreat energies and talents; When they are sanctified by the spirit of the truth, mixed withlove and humility, they would testify to the truth, and would present by the Holy Spirit,glorified works, testified to by the generations, and held fast by heaven. But in case theygo astray, they would not just become negative, but would turn into bitter wormwood inthe mouth of God and His church; and would turn into tools for destruction instead foredification. They would “cast righteousness to the ground”, as their thought bears a fatalearthly nature, without knowing it.

.جزًءا15–بالعربیة واإلنجلیزیة "الكنیسة بیت اهللا"راجع سلسة 1

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Therefore, Let the Lord Himself be, all the time, the subject of our seeking, tolive, and not to turn into wormwood, or to cast righteousness to the ground. … But Whois this Lord whom we should seek?

“The One who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of deathinto morning, and darkens day into night; Who calls for the waters of the sea andpours them out on the face of the earth; The Lord is His name. He flashes destructionon the stronghold, and brings the fortified city to ruin”(Amos 5: 8, 9)

(1) The One who made the Pleiades and Orion; two groups of celestial bodies orstars that were well known in the old. If Israel were diverted to worship the stars, the trueGod is the Maker of all the stars; He is the One whom they should seek.

In the Septuagint version, it came that God is the One who created things, andwho can also change them. And St. John Chrysostom had a very bold interpretation; Hebelieves that God, the Creator, trains us, His children, on creative life; saying: [AlthoughGod has givenus a body from the earth, Yet to carry it with us to heaven; Yes it is indeedan earthly body, Yet it should be turned into a heavenly one It is as though God says tous: ‘I have created heaven and earth, and have given you the authority to create. Turnyour earth into heaven, as that is within the authority I granted you!” Being the One whocreate and change things (8), as He describes Himself, He gave man a like authority; asthough He is an Artist Father who teaches His art to His son! “I created your bodybeautiful, and gave you the authority to do better! If you are not able to create man, Yetby the Holy Spirit, you can make him righteous and acceptable to God; … I have formedthe matter; So you should adorn the will! See how much I love you, and grant youauthority to do great things? See how great the honor I am giving you1?!].

(2) God, whom we seek, turns the shadow of death (the night) into morning, anddarkens the day as night. He is not only the Maker of heaven and earth from naught, butHe can also make changes: He changes the night to day, and the day to night.

What is the night, or what He called the ‘shadow of death’, that He changed tomorning, but the realization of the prophecies of the Old Testament; and turning theshadows of the law as man was fallen under death, as though in the night into the joyfulday of His coming, when we were enlightened by His divine light; according to the wordsof the prophet: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those whodwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined”? (Isaiah 9: 2).

Let us then present to Him our night, to turn it into day; Let us deliver to Him allour labor and sorrow, to shine on us, and they wouldturn into spiritual joy, exalted peace,and an unutterable glorious rejoice.

As to the day that darkens to become night, It reminds us of the divine workduring the time of crucifixion, when the midday turned into darkness because of our sins,carried on the shoulders of our Redeemer. That is the exalted work of the Lord, bearingour sins in Him; He who knows no sin.

What is the day that turns into darkness, but the day of the wicked, who live in theluxuries and pleasures of life, assuming that the joy of the world will never come to anend, and the pleasures shall forever endure…; But in His love, and through His seeminglycruel chastisements, God turns their day into night, to keep them from being bound to theday of the world, and its pleasures.

1 In 1 Tim. Hom. 15.

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(3) He calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of theearth… He turns the waters of the sea into clouds that cover the face of the earth and droprain on it. … In our study of the book of Joel (2: 23), we saw how the early and the laterain, refer to the grace of the Holy Spirit working in the children of God. God, whom weseek, is the Creator, who changes our life through the coming of the Savior Messiah; Hewho gives the fruit through the water of the Holy Spirit; according to the words of theLord Himself: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, asthe Scripture has said, out of his heart will Flow Rivers of living water. But this He spokeconcerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spiritwas not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7: 37-39).

Even though we are earth, Yet the water of the Holy Spirit would turn us into acheerful paradise of God, bearing in us the fruit of His Spirit.

(4) God, whom we seek, His name is ‘Jehovah’. Having presented Himself to usas a Creator, a Re-newer of our nature through the work of salvation of the Lord Christ,and the Grantor of the fruit in us by the Holy Spirit, has brought us over to His secrets …He is ‘Jehovah’; namely, the Incomprehensible ‘Being’… Even though He got very closeto us through His salvation work, and through sending His Holy Spirit; Yet He remainsthe God who could not be approached in the perfection of His essence. We have alreadydealt with the concept of the name of God ‘Jehovah’, in our study of the Book of Exodus(Chapter 3).

(5) God, whom we seek, is He “Who flashes destruction on the stronghold, andbrings the fortified city to ruin” (9); … who strengthens the one robbed, to chargeagainst the stronghold of his strong oppressor, to restore his robbed right. He is the Godwho supports the oppressed soul and grants it conquest.

3- OPPRESSION IN THE COURTS OF JUSTICE:The courts of justice for the Jews were held in a public place ar the city gate

(Deuteronomy 22: 15; Isaiah 29: 21), presided by a judge or a prophet, who rebukes theoppressor and supports the oppressed; But unfortunately, those courts of justice turnedinto courts of oppression, about which He says:

“They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaksuprightly. Therefore, because you tread down the poor, and take grain taxes from him;Though you have built houses of hewn stones, Yet you shall not dwell in them; Youhave planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine from them. For I knowyour manifold transgressions and your mighty sins. You afflict the just and take bribes.You divert the poor from justice at the gate” (Amos 5: 10-12)

Those were painful portraits of the oppression that prevailed upon the courts ofjustice. On one aspect, those elders used to show partiality toward the oppressors at theexpense of the truth; And instead of rebuking the oppressors, they hate the one whorebukes or warns them, and abhor him who speaks uprightly, for his words might hurt therich oppressors. And on another aspect, instead of raising the poor from the trash, theytread him down under their feet, and seek a bribe from him; And in case he has nomoney, he was committed to give up his grain, and stay hungry together with hishousehold. Even though the law prohibited paying interest on food (Deuteronomy 23:19), they robbed the food of the poor to build for themselves houses of hewn stones, thatwould never provide them with security; and to plant for themselves pleasant vineyards,

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that would never provide them with wine to drink. … They afflicted the just and tookbribes, prohibited by the law (Exodus 21: 30; Numbers 35: 31).

And as oppression increased beyond limits in the courts of justice, it was said:“Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, for it is an evil time” (Amos 5: 13)

Realizing that nothing would be of benefit to defend the poor, man would keepsilent; not out of cowardice or fear of the oppressors, but for the sake of wisdom, so asnot to waste his time or energy in vain. St. Basil the Great, in his work on the HolySpirit wrote: [Because the evangelic ordinances have been utterly mixed over, because ofthe chaos prevailing in those days; that the rush toward leadership positions becameunimaginably great, by those who love appearances, and giving orders; I chose to keepsilent rather than to talk; because no human voice could be loud enough to be heard insuch big noise1.

The prudent should keep silent in such evil times; and only talks what would be ofbenefit; following the lead of God Himself, who presents of His divine secrets, only whatwe can endure to hear or to comprehend; Who keeps His secrets concealed, until weacquire the spiritual ear that is able to listen and to comprehend His secrets in an edifyingway. Of the words of St. Clement of Alexandria: [By saying: “He who has ears to hear,let him hear” (Matthew 11: 15), the Lord proclaims that hearing and comprehending arenot for everyone. To demonstrate that the holy words are concealed, the prophet Davidwrites: “He made darkness His secret place. His canopy around Him was dark waters,and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passedwith hailstones and coals of fire” (Psalm 18: 11, 12)2.

Although the silence of the prudent in the evil time, is in itself, a testimony oftruth against oppression and tyranny; Yet the Lord demands the return to Him, throughthe return of those unjust judges or elders from their oppression in their court of justice atthe gates; saying: “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; So the Lord God of hostswill be with you, as you have spoken” (Amos 5: 14)

It is as though He says to them: [If you boast that the Lord God of hosts is withyou and in your midst; the sign of this would be the practical behavior through seekingthe good and rejecting the evil; By that you may live by the Lord who dwells in yourmidst!

Because Israel assumed that having been elected as His people, God would sparethem any punishment, and would dwell in their midst, whatever their behavior may be!God corrects their wrong concepts, by proclaiming that choosing them from among allthe peoples of the earth, increases their responsibility, and makes their falling underpunishment in case they err, more probable (Amos 3: 2). Here He confirms that Hisdwelling in their midst will not happen, except through seeking good and not evil in theirlife and in their judgment. Finally He proclaims that choosing them makes them likegrain in a sieve in the hands of God; He would treat them elaborately, and punish themharshly, yet “Not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground” (Amos 9: 7-10).

At the beginning of the sermon He said to them: “Seek the Lord”. Here, Hedeclare their commitment to seek Him through their practical behavior: “Hate evil , Lovegood; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts will begracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5: 15)

1 On the Spirit 77, 78.2 Strom. 6: 15.

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Israel will be subjected to bitter chastisements; Some of them will die, some willbe killed by the sword, and some will be captivated; But God will not forget the remnantwho stay faithful to Him; If they hold fast to the truth, love good, and hate evil, He willhave compassion on them, and will proclaim His dwelling in their midst.

4- WAILING AND MOURNING:He ends the lamentation by proclaiming that God will pass through in their midst;

Yet, not as the Secret of their life, but to punish and chastise them. The entire nation ofIsrael will turn into a place for wailing and mourning; As everyone will become in a stateof death; And the presence of God will be for sorrow and not for joy.

Here, he presents an actual portrait of the ancient oriental customs of grief, wherethey used to hire professional lamenters to wail during the procedures of funerals.

5- THE FIRST GROUP OF WOES:As actually a part of the third sermon, God proclaims woe to people because of

three things:(1) Desiring the day of the Lord:“Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the

Lord? It will be darkness and not light! It will be as though a man fled from a lion, anda bear met him. Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, anda serpent bit him. Is not the day of the Lord darkness and not light?”(Amos 5: 18-20)

Although God is Light, and His day is light in itself; Yet, to the spiritually blind,who is not able to behold the light, It would be darkness! And as said by St. Basil: [Theday of the Lord is darkness to those who deserve the darkness1].

As the day of the Lord, in the mind of the Jews, meant God’s proclamation of Hispower, and His conquest in His people against their enemies; It was a day of joy andcelebration of victory, a day of boasting over the Gentiles. Yet, as the people gotconfused by their multitude of iniquities, and their transgressions without repentance, itturned into a Day of Judgment and bitterness.

Nobody can escape judgment; As he who does, would be like a man fleeing froma lion, to encounter a bear. Or like one who took refuge in his house, leaned his hand onthe wall, and got bit by a serpent.

(2) The formal worship: That was a clear line, common to most of the writingsof the prophets; As while committing evil, Israel went to the holy places for collectiveworship, to present sacrifices and offerings, and to celebrate feasts. God is not deceivedby the outer appearances of worship, but seeks the heart first (See Mark 12: 33). … Inbitterness He rebukes them saying: “I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savoryour sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away fromMe the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringedinstruments. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mightystream”(Amos 5: 21-24)

He rejects the superficial worship, not mixed with inner love. He referred all theirworship to them, and not to Himself; calling them, “Your feast, Your burnt offerings’,Although, in case He finds pleasure in them, He would call them ‘His feasts, HisSabbaths, and His burnt offerings!’ He does not endure their praises and songs, calling

1 Hexameron 2.

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them “the noise of your songs”; And according to the words of the apostle Paul: “ThoughI speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become assounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13: 1).

In order for their worship to be well received, He says: “Let truth (justice) rundown like water, and righteous (alms) like a mighty stream”… Namely, let your life bemixed with justice and the love of giving, instead of cruelty and oppression.

(3) Mixing the worship of the Lord with idol worship:“Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O

house of Israel? You also carried Sikkuth your king, and Chiun your idols, The star ofyour gods, which you made for yourselves. Therefore, I will send you into captivitybeyond Damascus’, says the Lord whose name is the God of hosts”(Amos 5: 25-27)

The prophets used to consider the period of wandering in the wilderness as thebest period lived by Israel, as far as their relationship with God is concerned (Hosea 2:26; Jeremiah 2: 1-3); having been an ideal period, during which God sustained Israel in aunique and an exalted way. During that period, as it was difficult for them to offersacrifices in the wilderness, God did not put as much weight on offering sacrifices, as onkeeping the divine commandments; they actually did not make the Passover until theycrossed over into Canaan.

Yet they mixed the worship of God with idol worship; They carried with them thetent of Molok or Malkom, the god of the Ammonites, as though their own god; They usedto heat its arms red hot, then put their children on them amid the beats of drums; Andthey also worshipped a group of stars. Thus, the way they had themselves captivated toidol worship, God humiliated them by getting captivated under the authority of idolworshippers; to Assyria, far beyond Damascus (Aram); … Having carried idolatry intheir hearts, God allowed them to be carried captives by the idol worshippers.

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CHAPTER 6

THE SECOND GROUP OF WOESThis group of woes, representing the final part of the third sermon, include woes

by God to Israel for:

1- Their deceiving sense of security 1 – 72- Their arrogant life 8 – 113- Their rejoicing in vanity 12 – 14

1- THEIR DECEIVING SENSE OF SECURITY:“Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, and feel secure in Mount Samaria, the

notable persons of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes” (Amos 6:1)

He probably presents the woe to the great, the elite, and all the civil and religiousleaderships in Judah and Israel, who were at ease and were feeling secure in Zion andSamaria, leading a spoiled and loose life; Especially as having been counted the notablesof the foremost and the firstborn of the nations!

Zion was known for their towers and bulwarks; according to the Psalmist, whosays: “Walk about Zion, and go all around her. Count her towers; Mark well herbulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to generations following” (Psalm48: 12, 13). It embraced the thrones of the house of David (Psalm 122: 5). As to MountSamaria, it became the center of the religious life in the Northern Kingdom. The notablepersons in those two regions felt at ease and secure; having got in their hands both thecivil and the religious power, feared by the Gentiles, and to them came the house ofIsrael.

This is the state of the soul that takes refuge in someone other than God; feelssecure because of her temporal success or her religious reputation; and feels at ease,seeing everyone look at her with honor and admiration; It foolishly feels at ease andsecure, instead of the perpetual strife and growth in the Lord!

To provoke the people of Zion and Mount Samaria to repentance, he presents tothem examples of great cities of the old, that perished, after having been well famed for along time; As ‘Calneh’ that was built by Nemrud in the land of Shinar (Genesis 10: 11),then utterly destroyed; ‘Hamath’ in Syria, whose gods, Sennacherib boasted wiping out(2 Kings 18: 34; and ‘Gath’ of the Philistines, that was lately destroyed by Hazael (2Kings 12: 17) … Are Zion and Mount Samaria better than those cities; Or are herterritories greater than theirs?!

It is indeed befitting of us to take a lesson from what befall the others. If sin hascaused the destruction of great men, and slothfulness has corrupted kingdoms, It isbefitting of us to reject sin, and to stop walking slothfully; lest we become a lesson toothers as well!

Israel never took a lesson from what happened to the nations around her; norcared for God’s threats and warnings; indulging in her oppression, even in the courts ofjustice; counting chastisement far from being applied to her: “Woe to you who put off theevil day, and bring near a reign of violence” (Amos 6: 3)

That life of evil and violence, and of not caring for the warnings of God, wassupported by leading a life of pleasures and lusts; For which God rebukes them, saying:

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“Who lie on beds of ivory, stretch out on your couches, eat lambs from the flockand calves from the midst of the stall” (Amos 6: 4)

They know no spiritual strife or seriousness. Instead of putting on sackcloth onaccount of their sins, they stretch on their beds of ivory; And instead of fasting andhumiliating themselves, they eat gluttonously. As the apostle Paul says about some evilteachers: “For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their ownbelly” (Romans 16: 18); and, “Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, andwhose glory is in their shame – which set their minds on earthly things. But ourcitizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3: 19, 20).

They live for the sake of their own belly, and walk as earthly men, seekingtemporal pleasures. “Who chant to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise onmusical instruments” (Amos 6: 5). In their distorted minds, they imagined themselveschanting like David on the sound of the harp, and improvising on musical instruments;But far from it; For David chanted divine and heavenly praises; while theirs were corruptsongs accompanied with equally corrupt music of their own composition!

During their fun, they probably sung some religious songs, not for worshipping,as much as for scoffing; like the Babylonians who asked the children of Israel in captivityto sing one of the songs of Zion; to which they said in response: “How shall we sing theLord’s song in a foreign land!”. Whereas those people, sung the lord’s songs amid theirfun and drinking wine, in an atmosphere foreign from the Lord

Corruption prevailed on their whole life, whether when sleeping, eating, drinkingwine, having fun, or anointing themselves with the best anointments: “Who drink winefrom bowls, and anoint themselves with the best anointments” (Amos 6: 6)

St. Clement of Alexandria, commenting on these verses, says: [The Holy Spirit,on the tongue of the prophet Amos, proclaims the misery of the rich for the sake of theirlife of luxury1; Those who, according to the scholar Tertullian: have indeed found theircomfort, honor, and glory, in their riches; against which the psalm warns us, saying: “Donot be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; Forwhen he dies he shall carry nothing away; his splendor shall not descend with him”(Psalm 49: 16, 17); And, “If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them” (Psalm 62:10); And here, on the tongue of prophet Amos, the Lord utters woe against the rich whosets his heart on pleasures2].

St. John Chrysostom says: [See how God judges the rich, not on their greed, butmerely on their extravagance: Behold, You eat with gluttony, while Christ does not havethe necessities; You eat cakes, while Christ does not have the bare bread; You drink thewine of Thasian, and you deny Christ a cup of cold water through the thirsty; You lie on asmooth embroidered bed, while he dies of cold! 3]

The Lord goes on describing those people who lead such a loose and idle life, bysaying: “But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph” (Amos 6: 6)

“Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives; And those whorecline at banquets shall be removed” (Amos 6: 7)

What is such sin that makes them worthy of being the first to go captive, and to beremoved from the the banquets, at which they reclined?

1 Paed. 2: 2.2 Adv. Marc. 4: 15.3 In Matt. Hom. 48: 8.

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‘Joseph’, probably refers to Israel as a whole; It is as though those notable men,had their hearts drawn toward a life of luxury and fun, away from the affliction, throughwhich Israel is passing; the same way those in prosperity, forget the grieves and sorrowsof the church. “The affliction of Joseph” reminds us of the chief cupbearer who got hisjob back and stood before Pharaoh, forgetting all about Joseph in his prison (Genesis 40:21, 23). It is a horrible portrait that reveals the selfishness of man, who when, living incomfort, forgets all about those who suffer and are in need, and cuts himself off from hisfellowship of the holy congregation!

Many fathers connect this expression: “not grieved for the affliction of Joseph”,with what came in Micah 1: 11: “The inhabitant of Zaanan does not go out to mourn onthe place close by – (according to the Septuagint version)”; saying that, although whathas befallen Israel (Joseph), and the neighbors of Zaanan, are allowed by God for thesake of their chastisement; Yet, if we refrain from partaking of their grief, It will becounted as a sin on our part. And as said by St. John Chrysostom: [Although they arejustly chastened, Yet, it is not befitting of you to gloat on their suffering! God wants youto show compassion on them. If we, being sinners, when we punish one of our servants,we get angry to see another one laughing, and pour our wrath on that scoffer; How muchmore would God do in such a situation1?! He who says on the mouth of His prophetHezekiel: “I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies”. Therefore, you shouldfollow the lead of your Lord; As he who acquires such a good grief, gathers for himself agreat profit2!

2- THEIR ARROGANT LIFE:God, uttering woe on Israel, who has fallen in pride, says: “The Lord has sworn

by Himself; The Lord of hosts says: I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces;Therefore I will deliver up the city, and all that is in it” (Amos 6: 8)

He will deliver the city He loved and called His name on it, with all it palaces, andall that is in it, because of its vain pride and haughtiness. He abhors it and delivers it tochastisement with a vow, for all to believe that His verdict Is irreversible.

St. John El-Dargi says: [Pride is the work of the devil; a denial of God, a despiseof men, a mother of condemnation, a sign of a barren mind, an alienation from God’shelp, a fountain of wrath, a door to hypocrisy, a help for the demons, a keeper of sins, akinship of the cruelty of heart, an ignorance of compassion, a bitter auditor, an unjustjudge, an adversary to God, and the origin of blasphemy]. And he also says: [Whereverthere is a fall, there, pride has been dwelling; Because the presence of one is a warning ofthe dwelling of the other3].

Having fallen into the deadly pride, God kept chasing them with successivechastisements; If only ten remained in a house, they shall die! To give a portrait of theirstate, He shows an uncle carrying the body of his niece; when it is expected that mancarries the bodies of his father or uncle, and makes a burning to honor them (Jeremiah 34:5; 2 Chronicles 16: 14; 21: 19). Asking whether there is anyone left in the house, andfinding out that all are dead, his heart frets against the Lord (Proverbs 19: 3), and dare notmention the name of the Lord. So would be the devastation over the houses of Israel that

1 In Matt. Hom. 79: 4.2 Conc. Stat. hom. 18: 9.

.4، 23:1، )1980تعریب رهبنة دیر مارجرجس الحرف، (السلم إلى اهللا :یوحنا السلمي3

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no one remains to mention the name of the Lord. It is amazing how the Lord would breakthe great house into bits, and the little house into pieces; how He destroys, and moreviolently so, the great before the little, on account of its increasing pride!

3-THEIR REJOICING IN VANITY:The third cause for their fall under woe, is: “You who rejoice over Lo Debar, who

say, ‘Have we not taken Karnaim for ourselves, by our own strength?’ (Amos 6: 13)Amid their spoiled life of luxury, they rejoice, leaning upon their own strength, as

though nothing would ever befall them, or that anything said to them in the form ofwarning, was nothing but vain words; ... The secret of their failure, is that they shut onthemselves all ways of escape; He says: “Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow therewith oxen? Yet, you have turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness intowormwood” (Amos 6: 12)

It is as though the Lord says to them: I have sent to you My prophets carryingwarnings for the sake of your repentance and your returning to Me, to find out that yourhearts have turned into rocks, on which no horse can run, or oxen can plow; You haveturned the ordinances into poison and bitterness; You have taken the benefit away fromthe righteousness and truth! … Then He ends His sermon by saying: “I will raise up anation against you O house of Israel’, They will afflict you from the entrance ofHamath to the valley of the Arabah” (Amos 6: 14)

He will raise up nations to afflict them, from all sides: from the North (theentrance of Hamath), and from the South (the Valley of the Arabah), south of the DeadSea.

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THE THIRD SECTION

VISIONS AND A PROMISE OFSALVATION

(Chapters 7 to 9)

Vision (1) The plague of the locusts Chapter 7Vision (2) The plague of the destructive fire Chapter 7Vision (3) The vision of the plumb line Chapter 7The provocation of Amaziah the priest Chapter 7Vision (4) A basket of summer fruit Chapter 8Vision (5) The altar and the enjoyment of Salvation Chapter 9

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CHAPTER 7

THE FIRST THREE VISIONSAND THE OPPOSITION OF THE PRIEST OF

BETHELIn this chapter, the prophet presents to us the three visions shown to him by the

Lord, for the sake of warning Israel against their transgressions. And he ends the chapterby the complaint of Amaziah the priest of Bethel to the king against Amos, and theprophet’s response to his provocation .

1- The vision of the locusts 1 – 32- The vision of the destructive fire 4 – 63- The vision of the plumb line 7 – 94- The provocation of Amaziah the priest 10 – 115- Expelling Amos from Samaria 12 – 136- The response of Amos 14 – 17

1- THE VISION OF THE LOCUSTS:God had previously threatened Israel by the prophet Amos, that He will send

locusts to devour their vineyards, their fig trees, and their olive trees (Amos 4: 9). NowHe shows his prophet His plan, in which justice and mercy are mixed together; Whilechastening, He shows compassion; And while planning, He was anticipating a word ofintercession from the prophet to cease his chastisement (3).

The Lord sends locusts, He sets by Himself (1); As whether using locusts orenemies, He does nor entrust anyone to chasten His children; But His hand would remainthe one acting, while His eyes would stay concentrated on them, the way a Potter caresfor the object he puts in the furnace for a certain time. He sets swarms of locusts, yet intheir early stages as worms, to appear at the beginning of the late crop, after the king’smowings; namely, after the first crop which was to be given as a tax to the king. He didnot allow the locusts to devour the plant before the first crop, to let the people live onwhat they have already gathered as a tax for the king, and not to die of hunger. Whilechastening, He does not allow for perdition; according to the words of the Psalmist: “Oh,do not forsake me utterly” (Psalm 119: 8). In His chastisement, God may seem as thoughHe has forsaken us, Yet that would only be for some time, until we return to Him, thenHe would return to us.

The prophet Amos humbly interceded on behalf of Israel, saying: “O Lord God,forgive, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!” (Amos 7: 2)

That was Jacob about whom God said: “I abhor the pride of Jacob and hate hispalaces” (Amos 6: 8). Once the prophet interceded on his behalf, and said that he is toosmall to endure the chastisement, the Lord relented and ceased. That does not imply achange of thought, but rather a change of position.

God, even in the most bitter moments of our chastisement, longs to hear the voiceof Amos in us, humbly interceding on our behalf, proclaiming that we are small and inneed of Him; He would then lift up His chastisement, and embrace us.

Some scholars believe that the attacks of locusts refer to the attacks by Aram,Assyria, or others, against Israel.

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2- THE VISION OF THE DESTRUCTIVE FIRE:In the first time, God chastened with great compassion; But because Israel did not

repent their transgression, He came back to chasten more cruelly; no more in secret, butin a public way: “The Lord God called for judgment by fire” (Amos 7: 4). And is said bythe prophet Isaiah: “For behold, the Lord will come with fire and with chariots like awhirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fireand His sword, the Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many”(Isaiah 66: 15, 16); Who also said: “The Lord stands up to plead, And stands to judge thepeople” (Isaiah 3: 13); And as said by Jeremiah: “Therefore I will yet bring chargesagainst you, says the Lord; And against your children’s children I will bring charges”(Jeremiah 2: 9); And by Hosea: “The Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of theland” (Hosea 4: 1).

God calls for a public judgment, not to avenge, according to our human concept;But that, through the fire of chastisement, He would bring the wicked back from his evilways; and burn his transgressions, to make him return to Him and to enjoy His love.

In the first chastisement, only a part of the crop was destroyed; but this time,Chastening more firmly; God deprives them of water and food; His fire would consumethe great deep and devour the territory; to make them feel the need for someone to satisfytheir need of water and food, and to find them both in God.

T his time as well, God would anticipate an intercession from His prophet toforgive His people!

3- THE VISION OF THE PLUMB LINE:The Lord stood on the wall with a plumb line in His hand (a tool to examine the

straightness of a wall). Measuring the kingdom of Israel with His divine plumb line, Hesaid: “I will not pass by them anymore” (8); namely, (I will no longer spare them).

It was befitting of the Jewish church to become a wall of faith in the Messiah; Buthaving rejected that mission, and having denied her Savior, as revealed by God’s plumbline; She deserved to be destroyed. … This applies to those who are entrusted for amission of spiritual leadership, if they are found unfaithful in being like a wall to supportothers in their spiritual strife, they become worthy of destruction.

The Lord says through Isaiah: “I will make justice the measuring line, andrighteousness the plummet” (Isaiah 28: 17). … When the prophet David defeated Moab,he forced them to the ground, with two lines he measured off, with one line those to beput to death, and with another those to be kept alive (2 Samuel 8: 2); … And whenManesseh king of Judah did evil, God said: “I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuringline of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab; I will wipe Jerusalem as onewipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down” (2 kings 21: 13).

Using a plumb line probably means that God presents His divine chastisements,elaborately, and within certain measures, according to how far we endure, and how muchedification we need; although it must be preceded by the destruction of what has goneastray inside us.

Then the prophet goes on to say: “The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, andthe sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the houseof Jeroboam” (Amos 7: 9)

What does he mean by all these forms of destruction? … Having been used to findrefuge in the high places, to count the sanctuaries as their strongholds, and their present

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king as their support; Their high places would become desolate, the sanctuaries shall belaid waste, and their king Jeroboam, together with all his household, will be slain by thesword!

In the days of the early Patriarch fathers, the high places were considered mostconvenient to build altars, to offer sacrifices to the Lord; probably for their highelevation, in man’s attempt, in his relationship with God, to raise him above the earthlyand temporal things. … But through mixing with the Gentiles, as the Jews set theirheathen altars on the high places; The prophets of God started to fight against the use ofhigh places for worship, on account of that they were symbols of idolatry; And becausethere was already a temple in Jerusalem, to offer sacrifices to the Lord.

Mentioning “the high places of Isaac” (9), was probably on account of that theword “Isaac” means (laughing); As though they would be a laughing stock and amockery of the Gentiles, because of the destruction that would befall them.

As to the sword that is risen against the house of Jeroboam, It was that of Assyria.

4- THE PROVOCATION OF AMAZIAH THE PRIEST:Israel with their king, leaderships, priests, and people, Instead of offering

repentance, the way the people of Nineveh did when they heard the rebuke of the prophetJonah; Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, provoked Jeroboam king of Israel, against theprophet Amos, saying: “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house ofIsrael. The land is not able to hear all his words. For thus Amos has said: ‘Jeroboamshall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive from their own land”(Amos 7: 10, 11)

As the heart of Amaziah the priest of Bethel has gone astray from the ministry totemporal positions, to earthly glories, and to the love of the world; There is no wonderthat, instead of carrying out his mission as a priest, he turned the truth into wormwood;and the prophesies of Amos into a conspiracy against the king. He counted the words ofthe prophet, not as a message for repentance and edification, but as a provocation of thepeople against the king and his men; as a national treason!

He says to the king: “The land is not able to hear his words”, in an attempt toconvince the king that the people are all against the prophet, and that his mission is nomore endured by anyone. That was always the way of the devil in every era, to convinceman that the words of God are unacceptable, and the preaching of the gospel isunendurable, nor practical, in an attempt to lead them astray from the work of God, and tobring them out of the circle of the cross!

He says: “The land is not able to hear all his words” Yes indeed, having been,himself, land and not heaven, Amaziah the priest could not bear the words of the prophet;A carnal man of dust, walking with an earthly mind, cannot receive what is God’s, andcannot endure the heavenly life!

When the Lord Christ talked about His holy body and blood, presented as thesecret of eternal life, Many of His disciples said: “This is a hard saying, who canunderstand it,… And from that time many of His disciples went back and walked withHim no more” (John 6: 60, 66).

5- EXPELLING AMOS FROM SAMARIA:

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“Then Amaziah said to Amos: ‘Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah, Thereeat bread, and there prophesy. But never again prophesy at Bethel, For it is the king’ssanctuary, and it is the royal residence” (Amos 7: 12, 13)

Amaziah thought that Amos is a prophet to earn bread; But Amos was not such aprophet; Prophecy for him was not a job for a living; but he was a tool in the hand ofGod, his Creator. No wonder that the priest expelled the prophet, who by his simplicity,faithfulness, and courage, revealed his secret and exposed his life.

St. Jerome says: [Why was Amos expelled from Samaria? Surely, as it is in manyother cases, on account of being a spiritual surgeon who amputates the members corruptwith sin, and provokes men to repentance. For the same reason the apostle Paul says tothe Galatians: “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?”(Galatians 4: 16)1].

Although Amos was not officially a prophet, taught in the school of prophets, orthrough inheritance; … Yet, in the eyes of God, he was more faithful, and far better thanthe one with official authority – the priest of Bethel. That is why St. Jerome, in one ofhis messages, says: [Not all bishops are truly bishops. If you look at Peter, Consider aswell Judas; And if you look at Stephen, Consider as well Nicodemos, the angel of thechurch of Ephesus, who was judged by the Lord Himself in the Book of Revelation (2:6), because of his fantasies. Therefore, “Let a man examine himself” (1 Corinthians 11:28); As the clerical rank does not make a Christian out of you2!].

6- THE RESPONSE OF AMOS:In humility, yet with courage, Amos said to Amazia: “I am no prophet, nor was I

a son of a prophet, But I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then theLord took me as I followed the flock. And the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to mypeople Israel’” (Amos 7: 14, 15)

Humbly, Amos did not deny his lowly old job as a herdsman and a tender ofsycamore fruit; And bravely proclaimed that it is the Lord who called him as he followedthe flock to prophesy to His people Israel … To some, he might not be a prophet, havingnot been taught in the school of prophets, Nor being the son of a prophet; But heresponded to a divine call from God; and was committed to work according to it

St. John Chrysostom says: [He did not say that, to boast that he is called toprophesy by God Himself, But to mute those who accused him of being a false prophet,and to confirm that he says nothing on his own3].

And St. Gregory the Nezianzen, speaking about the Holy Spirit who worked inAmos to set him a prophet, says: [This Spirit, being the whole wisdom and love, madeout of David, a herdsman a Psalmist who, by his psalms, could drive away the evil spirits(1 Samuel 16: 23); and made out of Amos, also a herdsman and a tender of sycamorefruit, a prophet pf God4].

Finally, the prophet Amos, could not keep silent, but daringly proclaimed toAmaziah the priest: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Your wife shall be a harlot in the city; Yoursons and daughters shall fall by the sword; Your land shall be divided by survey line;

1 Ep. 40: 1.2 Ep. 14: 9.3 In 2 Cor. Hom. 24:3.4 On Pentecost 14.

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You shall die in a defiled land; And Israel shall surely be led away captive from hisown land’” (Amos 7: 17)

All of which have been literally realized, with the captivation of Israel by Assyria.How bitter it would be when a priest is forsaken by the Lord; … When his body is

corrupted like Amaziah’s woman who became a harlot; … When his talents and energiesare scattered, like Amaziah’s sons and daughters, who fell by the sword; … When,instead of inheriting, he would lose what he already has, and strangers would divide hisland, to become in disgrace; … And when, because of him, the church would becaptivated, and many of its members would fall and be offended!

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CHAPTER 8

THE FOURTH VISIONA BASKET OF SUMMER FRUIT

In this vision, God proclaims His haste to put His threat of devastation into effect;revealing the bitter fruit of sin, which are gathered in a basket, and presented asmourning, wailing, famine, and death.

1- A basket of bitter fruit 1 -32- A trial of the oppressors 4 – 103- A famine of hearing the words of the Lord 11 – 14

1- A BASKET OF BITTER FRUIT:God showed His prophet a basket of fruit; It came in Hebrew as (of fruit of the

late summer or fall); Not joyful fruit, but those of sin, which became too ripe to be leftuneaten, as the dark winter was close by.

God provided them with many chances to repent their sins and to return to him;sometimes through proclamations, or through gifts, and some other times throughwarnings and threats He chastened, then forgave; But now, they have preparedthemselves for perdition: “The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass bythem anymore” (Amos 8: 2)

Even now, He does not forget they are ‘His own people’; although their end hascome because of their persistence on evil. “The songs of the temple shall be wailing inthat day’, says the Lord God – Many dead bodies everywhere; They shall throw themout in silence” (Amos 8: 3)

Although the temple became a ruin before their eyes, yet they kept silent, andcried no more; because their anguish became too much to endure; or they lost the energyto cry because of the multitude of the dead; Or for fear, lest the enemy would hear themcry, and come to kill those who remained alive.

Even though God is very longsuffering, yet, according to the apostle: “Do youdespise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that thegoodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness andyour impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath andrevelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to hisdeeds” (Romans 2: 4-6).

In His love, God anticipates a sign to return to us; He longs to dwell in us and tobring us over into His glories. But if we hold fast to rejection, and we keep on walking inevil, our sins would be ripe enough to be gathered in a basket of bitter fruit, hated byGod. Although we are His children, yet our end would come; Our sonhood to Him wouldturn into a secret of suffering to the soul, and a testimony for judgment; … And instead ofthe songs of joy, there would be wailing and mourning. The temple would become empty,and everything in it would come to an end. Let us then return to Him, that He wouldreturn to us; and to establish inside us His joyful paradise instead of that sorrowful-looking basket of bitter fruit.

2- A TRIAL OF THE OPPRESSORS:

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The prophet gives us a horrible portrait of the conditions of oppression andcorruption, in which Israel lived at that time; whose features are:

(1) “Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, and make the poor of the landfail” (Amos 8: 4) They intend to destroy the poor with every possible way; to swallowthe needy in their bellies, or tread upon them with their feet; to the account of their ownriches and pleasure.

When the ‘ego’ swells up, man thinks of himself as being the center of the world,all work to his account, and all perish for the sake of his happiness; Whereas about Jesus,the Lord of Glory, it is said: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, thatalthough He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His povertymight become rich” (2 Corinthians 8: 9). Carrying Him in us, we become rich by Him; …And as a sign of our riches, we accept to become poor together with Him, so that ourbrethren in Christ who dwells in us, would become rich; We long to be enslaved, forthem to liberated in Him; to die, that they would enjoy life with Him; And to forsakeeverything, that they would acquire Him as the secret of their riches. That is the way ourteacher the apostle Paul walked, by the Spirit of His Lord, when he said: “For though Iam free of all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more” (1Corinthians 9: 19); And, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, andourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4: 5).

(2) “Saying: ‘When will the new moon be past; that we may sell grain? And theSabbath, that we may trade our wheat?” (Amos 8: 5). In a literal way, they used toconsummate the law; by not working on the new moon and on every Sabbath, as thoughthey are religious and God-lovers; Yet those days would be so heavy to endure, that theywished them to pass quickly, to resume their trade and material profits! In their own eyes,and in those of others, they seemed as though righteous, and keepers of the days of feastsand Sabbaths; but their hearts were actually far from being holy; according to the wordsof the Scripture: “With their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue theirown gain” (Hezekiel 33: 31)

It is a painful portrait of the soul that so turned into earth, to feel that the day ofthe Lord is heavy to endure, and the worshipping rites are too long and without benefit;while spending most of its time rejoicing in the material gains.

(3) “Making the ephah small and the shekel large, and cheating with dishonestscales” (Amos 8: 5)

Namely, they rob their customers in both buying and selling to their own account;forgetting what is written: “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a justweight is His delight” (Proverbs 11: 1).

(4) “Buying the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling eventhe sweepings with the wheat” (Amos 8: 6). In our study of the second chapter, the Lordsays: “They sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals” (Amos 2: 6);And we saw how they sell the Lord Himself for the sake of profit, and how they despiseHim in the person of the poor and the needy, for a pair of sandals, that He commandedMoses to take off (Exodus 3); and His disciples not to acquire (Mathew 10: 9).

They buy the poor for silver; As the poor became so miserable, that they sellthemselves and their children as slaves to the rich, that they may eat and live; Somethingthat enraged Nehemiah later on (See Nehemiah 5: 6).

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By selling the sweepings with the wheat, they are uproot love, and breaking thelaw, that says, the sweepings should be left for the poor who cannot afford to buy thewheat: “When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, youshall not go back to get it, it shall be for the widow, that the Lord your God may bless youin all the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 24: 19).

Having reached such a bitter status, Israel, the people of God, have fallen underthe firm trial, about which the prophet says: “The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:‘Surely I will never forget any of their works. Shall the land not tremble for this, andeveryone mourn who dwells in it? All of it shall swell like the River, heave and subsidelike the River of Egypt. And it shall come to pass on that day’, says the Lord God, ‘ThatI will make the sun go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in broad daylight. Iwill turn your feast into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; I will bringsackcloth on every waist, and baldness on every head; I will make it like mourning foran only son, and its end like a bitter day” (Amos 8: 7-10)

Despite all the oppression and transgressions done by Israel, that made God swearnever to forget any of their wicked works; that “He will not pass by them anymore”, YetHe still has for them a special soft feeling, to say:”I swear by the pride of Jacob” … Weare His children of whom He is proud, and for their salvation He longs.

Before the oppression of those people, the land trembled as though by anearthquake, and heaved and subsided like the River Nile of Egypt; The sun went down atnoon; The earth darkened in broad daylight; Feasts turned into mourning, and songs intolamentation; Sackcloth was brought on every waist, and baldness on every head; … Likemourning for an only son.

It is a natural fruit to be tasted by everyone whose cup is filled with evil: … Hisearth, namely his body that provides him with pleasure, would tremble before God, andwould lose all its vitality; All his senses and feelings would loose every gladness, andwould enter into a state of despair and murmuring; His life would tremble as though byan earthquake, and would heave and subside like the River of Egypt; ..,.The Sun ofRighteousness would set on him, to loose every enlightenment he used to enjoy; … Hisinner land would turn into a darkness of ignorance; He would loose every sense ofspiritual joy; His inner feasts would turn into mourning; Instead of songs he would utterlamentation; And instead of the inner spiritual adornment, he would in disgrace, beclothed by sackcloth, and his head would become bald, as though mourning for an onlyson, namely his only soul!

It is amazing how that bitter fruit was carried by the Lord Christ Himself for oursake, when he bowed His back on the cross; when “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquityof us all” (Isaiah 53: 6). When that prophesy has been literally realized; “the veil of thetemple was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, the rocks were split, thegraves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised”(Matthew 27: 51, 52). The earth trembled, and so did hell and the sun disappear at noon,“from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land” (Matthew27: 45). From that day on, the feasts of the Jews turned into mourning and their songsinto lamentations; They lost the temple; They were scattered all over the land; And,having lost their position as the people of God, they became as though mourning for anonly son.

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Many fathers (like father Lectantius1, the scholar Tertullian, and St. Erinaos),saw in those words a straightforward prophecy about what actually happened during thesufferings of the Lord Christ.

St. Erinaos says: [It was clearly proclaimed that darkness would prevail over allthe land from the sixth hour until the ninth hour; after which their feasts, according to thelaw, and their songs, would turn into mourning and lamentation, as they are delivered tothe Gentiles2]. With the same sense, the Scholar Tertullian says: [You have beencaptivated and scattered after the sufferings of Christ, as previously proclaimed by theHoly Spirit3]; and also says: [According to Isaiah:”I clothe the heavens with darkness”(Isaiah 50: 3); The day about which Amos writes: “It shall come to pass on that day, saysthe Lord God, that I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth inbroad daylight” (Amos 8: 9). At noon of that day, the veil of the temple was torn in two“when the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the glory of the Lord went up from themidst of the city…” (Ezekiel 11: 22, 23); When “The daughter of Zion is left as a booth ina vineyard, as a hut in a garden of cucumbers” (Isaiah 1: 8) 4].

Introducing a spiritual concept in our daily life of the eclipse of the sun and thedwelling of darkness on earth, St. John Chrysostom says: [It seems to me that it is notjust the earth, but even the nature of the weather, were looking down with grief; … Therays of the sun became darker, not because of any change of its elements, but ratherbecause the eyes of men were so dimmed by grief, to be unable to see them clearly; …Which the prophet means by saying: “I will make the sun go down at noon, and I willdarken the earth in broad daylight”. So he says, not on account that there was an eclipseof the sun, or a disappearance of daylight, as much as because those in grief cannotrecognize the light of day because of the blindness that prevailed on their eyes5. … Weare in need of God to lift up from us the darkness of sin, that our eyes would beenlightened by His Holy Spirit, to be able to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ, the Light ofrighteousness, and to enjoy His splendor in us.

As to turning the feasts into mourning and the songs into lamentation, That is thenatural work of sin; While repentance would give us the contrary, by Jesus Christ, towhom we would return, and in Him we would find our feast, truly joyful. And as said bySt. Gregory the wonder maker: [It is our duty to keep that feast filling the whole worldwith joy and gladness; Let us keep it with psalms, praise, and spiritual songs … As ourLord has confirmed to us that, through the fruit of repentance, He will turn our grief intojoy6].

3- A FAMINE OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD:The fruit of sin is destruction on every side: a destruction of the body, with the

trembling of the earth, and the mourning of its inhabitant (8); a destruction of the soul,with its loss of light, and turning into a state of depression and incessant lamentation;And finally a destruction of the spirit, with the loss of the spiritual food for man;“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord God, that I will send a famine on the land,

1 Divine Instil. 4: 19; Epitome of Div. Inst. 46.2 Adv. Haer. 4: 33: 12.3 An Answer to Jews, 10.4 Adv. Marc. 4: 43.5 Conc. Statues 2: 6.6 Four Homilies, 2 (on the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary).

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Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. …In that day the fair virgins and strong young men shall faint from thirst” (Amos 8: 11,13)

That is what God threatens the wicked, to enter into a state of hunger and thirst,not of food and drink, but of hearing the words of the Lord, the Giver of life; Wanderingfrom one sea to another – the sea here, with its raging waves, refers to the world –Namely, seeking the satisfaction for their souls from one teacher to another, fromteachers, who are themselves deprived of the spiritual satisfaction and the true peace;searching in vain, all over the world, from North to South, and from East to West, untilall their talents, energies, and potentials -- the fair virgins and strong young men -- wouldwither with spiritual thirst! They will reap the sin of Samaria, who swear and say: ‘Asyour god lives O Dan’, And ‘as the way of Beersheba lives’; They shall fall and neverrise again” (Amos 8: 14).

It is such a horrible famine, the soul seeks a spiritual satisfaction, and would neverfind it; Not that God has deprived her of it, but because of her increasing transgressions,and her lack of desire for repentance, she would lose the possibility of reaching the wordof God as the bread of life.

I wish therefore, that we perpetually enjoy the word of the Lord, about which HeHimself says: “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6: 63);And St. John Chrysostom says: [The word of God is food, adornment, and security forthe soul; And not listening to it, is famine and deprivation1].

St. Gregory Bishop of Nyssa2 believes that, while God threatens the wicked of afamine, but not of food, and of thirst, but not of water; On the other side, He grants Hischildren in paradise, fruition that are befitting of His promises; Not material fruits andmaterial water, but the bread and the fountain of life.

That is the living bread on which we are committed to feed, get satisfied, andprovide it to our hungry brethren; like the grain that Joseph provided to his father,brothers, and even to strangers. In this sense, St. Gregory the Nezianzen3 called St. Basil‘The second Joseph’; who saved Egypt as well, from famine, by his wise ordinance. Byproviding the bread of angels, to feed the souls, hungry for God; He providedinexhaustible food that remains forever to give life.

Speaking to a delegation coming to Egypt with a load of grain, St. Gregory theNezianzen said: [You have brought with you a cure, not for the famine of bread and thethirst of water; As that sort of famine and thirst are relatively not horrible, and theirtreatment is not impossible; But you brought a cure for the famine of hearing the word ofGod, which is truly more serious, and its treatment extremely difficult, because of theincreasing evil, and the rarity of faithful listeners in the present time4.

Therefore, Let us return to the Lord, and not remain in such a famine, wanderingfrom a sea to another, that would end up making the fair virgins and the strong menwither with spiritual thirst.

As we said before, the fair virgins and the strong men, refer to the senses providedto us by God, good and fair; which, in case we become deprived of the word of God,

1 In Matt. Hom 2: 10.2 On the Making of Man 19.3 Panegyric on S. Basil 36.4 Oration 34: 2.

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would wither and turn ugly and evil, with no adornment, by which they would be worthyof enjoying the eternal wedding (Matthew 25). Through deprivation of the word of God,the wise virgins in us would turn into foolish virgins, who by their carnal thoughts wouldlose their light.

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CHAPTER 9

VISION OF THE ALTARAND THE ENJOYMENT OF SALVATION

In this chapter the prophet saw the lord standing by the altar to chastise, andnobody, wherever he is, will ever escape from His chastisements. Yet the remnantfaithful to Him will be kept, and not the smallest grain of them will fall to the ground.Finally the prophet ends his prophecy by opening wide the door of hope before allpeoples and nations to enter into the new tabernacle of David in the Messianic era.

1- The vision of the altar 1 – 42- The features of the Chastiser Himself 5 – 63- The salvation of the faithful remnant 7 – 104- The Messianic era 11 – 15

1- THE VISION OF THE ALTAR:The introduction to this vision, not saying: “The Lord showed me”, came to be

different from the previous visions. It so seem that the prophet dared to enter into thehouse of the Lord, to see the Lord, Himself, standing at the altar, to proclaim the disputefrom it, and not through the cherubim or the seat of mercy. He came to seek His justicefor the sake of His sanctuaries which are treaded upon; That the altar, instead of being theway for reconciliation between God and men, has become the cause of God’s wrath overHis people who defiled His sanctuaries, the way the house of Eli did, about whom theLord said: “I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not beatoned for by sacrifice or offering forever” (1 Samuel 3: 14).

The Lord probably proclaimed the last of the visions on the altar which wasdefiled, before He destroys it and depart from it; As he more clearly proclaimed to theprophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 10). It was not possible for the Lord to dwell where man persistson evil1.

Some scholars believe that the vision here does not concern the altar of the lord inHis temple in Jerusalem, but concerns the one in Bethel where the Northern kingdomworshipped, and where they mixed the worship of God with idol worship2.

Anyway, the following decree of destruction was issued: “Strike the doorposts,that the thresholds may shake, and break them on the heads of them all. I will slay thelast of them with the sword. He who flees from them shall not get away, And he whoescapes from them shall not be delivered”(Amos 9: 1)

By the doorpost, He probably refers to the chief priest of Bethel, or to the Highpriest in the temple of Jerusalem; And by the thresholds, the great, the counselors, and thepervert religious leaders, and all the wicked people who would perish, and none of themwould get away. So God starts by the religious leaders; As those with higher honor, orhave greater responsibility, would be the first to be judged. In the parable of the talents,the Lord started settling account with the one who owed Him the greatest number oftalents, followed by the one with less, and ended up by the one with the least number oftalents (Matthew 18: 34). That is why St. John Chrysostom used often to rebuke

.88، 87حزقیال ص 12 Jerome Biblical Commentary, p. 252.

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himself, saying: [I wonder if there will ever be a bishop saved!]; And as also said by thescholar Origen: [The Judgment will start by God’s household1].

That does not imply that fleeing from responsibility is the way to salvation; butfleeing from evil; As it is written: “Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shallbe repaid” (Proverbs 13: 21). Evil pursues the sinners wherever they are; Whether theyare occupying the first places in the church or the last ones; As, according to the Lord:“Though they dig into Sheol, from there shall My hand take them; Though they climbup to heaven, from there I will bring them down” (Amos 9: 2)

By ‘Sheol’ or the pit, He probably refers to the place of the dead (Isaiah 14: 9);For even though they are dead with the body, Yet they would be followed by the fruit oftheir sins; Death would not be able to save them from what they have committed. And bysaying “heaven”, He means to refer to the contrary (Job 11: 8); As though He is sayingthat, wherever they go they will not escape judgment. By ‘Sheol’ He may also refer to thedeadly despair, and by climbing up to heaven, He probably refers to haughtiness;Namely, that neither despair or haughtiness would protect man from God’s wrath on hisevil.

“And though they hide themselves on the top of the Carmel, From there, I willsearch out and take them” (Amos 9: 3)

The top of the Carmel, being known for its dense forests and dark caves, became asymbol of where a fugitive could not be found; … Yet God’s hand will search out andtake him.

“Though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea, From there I willcommand the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them” (Amos 9: 3). If the sea refers to theworld with its raging waves, and the possibility of drawing man down to perish in itsdeeps; Leviathan, the fleeing serpent (Isaiah 27: 1), refers to the devil with his authorityover those drowned in the love of the world and its lusts; Having delivered himself to theworld, and having his heart drawn into its deeps, man would be chastened by God,through delivering him to the serpent, namely to the devil, to taste the bitterness of whathe has committed. Having chosen evil, God would not commit him to return against hiswill, but would forsake him to the evil one, to be chastened in bitterness, in hope that hewould eventually return and repent.

“Though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I will commandthe sword, And it shall slay them” (Amos 9: 4). Some may probably wonder, how itwould be possible for man to go into captivity before his enemies by his own free will,that the Lord command the sword to slay him?! Actually. Although captivation, as ahistorical fact, used to happen by force, yet, as a fact of faith, it occurs through man’s freewill, who, by his wickedness, may deliver himself into captivity. What happened to Israeland Judah on the hands of Assyria and Babylon, was only a fruit of their transgressionsand arrogance along the years. God sent them many prophets to warn them in severalways; and when they did not head His warnings, He allowed for their chastisement. It is apainful portrait that happens in our life, when God warns us by several ways, But ourpersistence on evil would lead us to fall into the captivity of the devil and his cruelservitude; And the Lord would allow for us to be chastised in a foreign country!

2- THE FEATURES OF THE CHASTIZER HIMSELF:

1 In Matt. Hom 14: 10.

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Every time the Lord threatens His people, He declares His identity, to confirm tothem that He is capable of realizing what He threats. Now, while doing that, He confirmsthat, while chastening the wicked, He would not disregard the faithful remnant, whateverits number or size are.

“The Lord God of hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts, and all whodwell there mourn; All of it shall swell like the river, and subside like the River ofEgypt” (Amos 9: 5)

It was written about the Lord that “He touches the hills, and they smoke” (Psalms104: 32; 144: 5). He who thinks of himself as well established as a hill, would not endureto get in touch with the Lord Himself; And he who remains as earth, and who walksaccording to the earthly things, would be touched by the Lord of hosts, to melt like water!… Those who dwell on the earth, are the senses and energies of man, that would mourn,when the body loses its holiness and its being, before God’s wrath and justice, and whenall swell like a river or like a flood, and subside like the River of Egypt; Namely, whenman, with all his energies, would be in a state of complete loss.

“Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens, and founds His vaults uponthe earth; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface ofthe earth – the Lord is His name” (Amos 9: 6)

He confirms to the children of Israel that they cannot escape from Hischastisements; If He touches them as earth, they would melt like water, and all who dwellthere would mourn. And at the same time, by building His upper chambers in theheavens, He is capable of casting down on them large hailstones from heaven to killthem, As He has already done to the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains inthe days of Joshua (Joshua 10: 11).

Having, in their evil, worshipped the stars; He, in heaven would manipulates thestars to fight them: as it was written: “The stars from their courses fought against Sisera”(Judges 5: 20).

And by saying: “Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens” (6), He opensthe doors of hope before them. If, being earth, they fear that the Lord of hosts wouldtouch them, and they melt; They should then become heaven, so that He would be glad todwell among them, and they would rejoice. That is what the Lord Christ did, when by Hisascension, He granted us the possibility of ascending by Him, to become heaven for Him,and He would be in us. And as said by the scholar Tertullian: [Now, Christ is preparingthat ascension for us; As, according to Amos, “He builds His upper chambers in theheavens” for Himself and His people1]. And he says: [Now, there is a door prepared byChrist, through which He presents glory to us; About which Amos says: “He builds Hisupper chambers in the heavens”; Surely, not just for Himself, but for His people togetherwith Him. He says: “You shall surely clothe yourself with them all as an ornament, andbind them on you as a bride does” (Isaiah 49: 18). As the Spirit soars in the highchambers of heaven, “They fly like a cloud, and like doves to their roosts” (See Isaiah 60:8) 2.

Let us therefore be in Christ ascending to heaven, to dwell securely in heaven; soas to live the rest of the days of our sojourn on earth to the account of the Lord Christ;

1 Adv. Marc 5: 10.2 Ibid 3: 2.

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according to His words: “He founds His vaults upon the earth”; Namely, as acongregation gathering together for His sake; fighting to His account against the devil;and as spiritual soldiers fighting and working to the account of the kingdom of the Lord.St. Cyprian said: [I intended to fight bravely, putting in my mind His ‘Sacramentum’,and carrying the two weapons: the consecration and the faith1]; And St. JohnChrysostom said: [Like the seal put on the soldiers, it will be the seal of the Holy Spiriton the believers2].

Finally, He turns the sea water into clouds and rain, to pour over the earth, as areference to the work of the Holy Spirit, the rain that turns our barren earth into a spiritualparadise of the Lord.

3- THE SALVATION OF THE FAITHFUL REMNANT:After the Lord revealed Himself as the One capable of chastising us, of lifting us

to heaven, and of consecrating us to work to the account of His kingdom, through theMessiah, ascending to heaven, in His upper chambers; And through the Holy Spirit whopours upon the earth to grant it the power to produce fruition -- He speaks here about Hiscare and support for the faithful remnant, up to the end.

Again, He supports His promises, as well as His threats, by practical examples,experienced by the world in its relationship to God; in order to show how He has savednations from servitude or captivity in the past, and as an evidence of His care for thefaithful remnant; saying: “Are you not like the people of Ethiopia to Me, O children ofIsrael?, says the Lord” (Amos 9: 7)

If I have saved the idol-worshipping Ethiopians – in those days – from servitude,Shall I not care to save you?! Not to confine the prophecies to bitter visions, He, togetherwith proclaiming His great firmness, He confirms that they mean to Him more than all;So Why should they not return to Him?! How amazing is the love of God, even duringthe bitter-most moments of His chastisement!

He reminds them again of the fact that He has saved them from the servitude ofthe Pharaoh of Egypt; the people of Philistine from Caphtor (most probably the island ofCrete)3; and the Syrians from Kir. If He cares for all mankind, How could He not care forthe faithful remnant of Israel?! In a beautiful and assuring phrase, He says: “For surely Iwill command, And I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is siftedin a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground”(Amos 9: 9)

If many has become like chaff, the sieve will cast them to the ground which theyloved; But not the smallest grain of wheat shall fall to the ground from the sieve of theLord; He will keep them in His hand, and no one will snatch them from Him; And Hewill bring them up together with Him to His heavenly temple, rejoicing in them for thesake of their faithfulness.

4- THE MESSIANIC ERA:Like all the rest of the prophets of the Old Testament who shined with the

spiritual joy upon the people, and opened before them the door of hope through theMessiah the Son of David, who will come to establish His spiritual kingdom, that will

1 De Lapsis 13.2 PG 61: 418.3 Jerome Com., p. 252.

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embrace the new Israel out of all the nations, tongues and peoples; Every prophetrevealed certain aspects of that blessed era.

Now, What are the features of the Messianic era, according to the prophet Amos?(1) Raising up the tabernacle of David: “On that day I will raise up the

tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up itsruins, and rebuild it as in the days of the old” (Amos 9: 11)

In the book of Ezekiel, As all the concentration was on the departure of the gloryof the Lord from His house, that was defiled by the abominations that entered into it; Thatis why, proclaiming the reform to come in the Messianic era, He presented it to us as thenew temple of the Lord (Chapters 40 to 48), with certain symbolic features that reveal thework of the Messiah in our life, not through the destruction of the temple of our old man,to set the new man. But here, in the book of Amos, with the destruction of the palaces ofIsrael and Judah, and those of the surrounding nations, burning them with fire; Instead ofthose palaces, the Lord Christ, presents to us the tabernacle of David, raising it afterfalling down; He raises it; being Himself risen from the dead, to raise us up together withHim; He repairs its damages, raises up its ruins, and rebuilds it by His Holy Spirit as thedays of the age of ages; that death would not be able to defeat.

The main feature of the Messianic era which we enjoy is that of the resurrection;the inner life raised in Him became ours, we live it, that when the Lord comes with Hisbody, our bodies would also be raised, and the soul together with the body would enjoythe eternal resurrection.

Father Methodeus believes that in this phrase, there is a confirmation of theresurrection of the body; and responds to those who deny the resurrection of the body, bysaying: [The expression ‘Raise’ or ‘Resurrect’, does not apply to what is not fallen, but towhat is fallen to rise again; according to the words of the prophet: “I will raise up thetabernacle of David, which has fallen down” (11). Now the tabernacle of the soul, somuch beloved, is fallen down and sunken in the dust of the earth (Daniel 12: 2). Thefallen down is not the one who is not dead, but who is dead. It is the body that dies,whereas the soul is eternal! Now, If the soul is eternal, while the body is the lifelesscorpse; He who believes in a resurrection, but not of the body, denies the resurrectionaltogether; As he who is risen is the one who is fallen down, and not the one who is up;According to what is written: “When men fall down, do they not get up? When a manturns away, does he not return?” (Jeremiah 8: 4) 1.

(2) Opening the door before all the Gentiles; As He says: “’That they maypossess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name’, saysthe Lord who does these things” (Amos 9: 12)

This phrase, according to St. Erinaos2, confirms that the door will be openedbefore the Gentiles who will be called by the name of the Lord.

If the word ‘Edom’ means (of the dust) or (of the blood), the risen tabernacle ofDavid, namely the church of the New Testament, will inherit Edom, to turn him fromdust to heaven, and from the love of blood-shedding to the meekness of Christ. Thechurch received the heathens in her bosom, cleansed them, and sanctified them in theLord, as spiritual vessels, heavenly and angelic

1 On Resurr. 1: 12.2 Adv. Haer. 3: 12: 14.

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(3) An abundance of grace without limits; saying: “Behold, the days are coming,says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapeshim who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine” (Amos 9: 13)

It is as though the crop will be so abundant that some of it would remain, that theplowman in the next year would find a blessing set before him. The same would be withthe treader of grapes in the winepress; who will find a blessing of sweet wine set beforehim in the next season.

A sign of blessing would be that the believers, having become like wellestablished mountains and hills, will drip with new wine and will flow with blessing (13);the same expression we read in the book of Joel (3: 18).

(4) An era of spiritual freedom, when man is set free from the captivity of thedevil and the sin; to have inside him holy cities instead of the waste ruins brought aboutby evil; And vineyards of the Holy Spirit would be planted, to produce the fruit of joy;And the heart would be transformed into a divine garden, made by the Lord Himself;saying:

“I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the wastecities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; theyshall also make gardens and eat fruit from Them. I will plant them in their land, andno longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given Them’, says the Lord yourGod” (Amos 9: 14, 15)

A joyful portrait of the church of Christ, the garden that brings gladness to theheart of God, and makes the heavenly creature rejoice by her spiritual edification, herfruitful plantations, her joyful wine, and her unshakable abidance forever.

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A TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION:Amos; The circumstances around him; Attributes of the prophet Amos; Themes of

the book of Amos.

THE FIRST SECTIONJUDGMENT OF THE GENTILES AND OF ISRAEL

CHAPTER 1: JUDGMENT OF THE NEIGHBORING GENTILENATIONS

Introduction; Judgment of Damascus; Judgment of Gaza; Judgment of Tyre;Judgment of Edom; Judgment of the Ammonites.

CHAPTER 2: JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL AND JUDAHJudgment of Moab; Judgment of Judah; Judgment of Israel.

THE SECOND SECTIONSERMONS TO ISRAEL

CHAPTER 3: THE FIRST SERMON TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAELGod punishes them on account of that they are His own people; God does not

punish without reason; God will let the Gentiles testify against His people; None of themwill escape.

CHAPTER 4: THE SECOND SERMON: TO THE COWS OF BASHANThe oppressive cows of Bashan; Rejection of the worship, going hand in hand

with oppression; Diverse ways of chastisement; The shining of salvation.

CHAPTER 5: THE THIRD SERMON: A LAMENTATION ON THEVIRGIN OF ISRAEL; AND THE FIRST GROUP OF WOES:

The fallen virgin of Israel; Seek the Lord and not the idol; Oppression in thecourts of justice; Wailing and mourning; The first group of woes: a- Desiring the day ofthe Lord b- The formal worshipc- Mixing the worship of the Lord with idol worship.

CHAPTER 6: THE SECOND GROPUP OF WOES:Their deceiving sense of security; Their arrogant life; Their rejoicing in vanity.

THE THIRD SECTIONVISIONS AND A PROMISE OF SALVATION

CHAPTER 7: THE FIRST THREE VISIONS; AND THE OPPOSITION OFTHE PRIEST OF BETHEL:

The vision of the locusts; The vision of the destructive fire; The vision of theplumb line; The provocation of Amazieh the priest; Expelling Amos from Samaria; Theresponse of Amos.

CHAPTER 8: THE FOURTH VISION: A BASKET OF SUMMER FRUIT:A basket of bitter fruit; A trial of the oppressors; A famine of hearing the word of

the Lord.

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CHAPTER 9: A VISION OF THE ALTAR AND THE ENJOYMENT OFSALVATION:

The vision of the altar; The features of the Chastizer Himself; The salvation of thefaithful remnant; The Messianic era.

A TABLE OF CONTENTS.